Gmen
by Arigatomina
Summary: GW-YYH, light X-men fusion, Yaoi, 1x2, 3x4, 6x5, KuramaxHiei, YusukexJinxTouya. Heero's mission is to gather an elite team of mutants to take out OZ before the humans take out them.
1. United We Stand

Author's Notes: This was my first alternate universe attempt and one of my longest fics. The crossover with YYH will show up towards the latter parts.  
Category: Anime, AU, Yaoi, Gundam Wing fusion with the X-men series  
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, will be 6x5, KuramaxHiei  
Warnings: none in this part  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Website: www . arigatomina . com

**G-men**

_Part 1: United We Stand_

Violet eyes followed the ball as it traveled from one hand to another. The teens were having so much fun, their calls sounding over the court. They didn't have a care in the world. And why should they? They were human, normal. They weren't hated simply for what they were.

Sometimes he wished he were as evil as everyone thought he was. Then he could kill them. It would be so easy to make those happy boys as miserable as he was. Instead, he tortured himself by watching the pleasure they took from simply being normal. He seemed obsessed with the voyeurism, drawn to return again and again so he could see others doing things he hadn't been able to do for years. He was too busy hiding.

But that was what he was good at. The talk had grown since he was a child. He knew what they said about mutants. Their kind signaled the end of the human species.

And that was fine. If his kind were death, then he was the God of death. He was Shinigami, and he could kill them at any time.

None of the boys looked up from their basketball game when a solitary figure slowly stood up and walked away. The fact that he was invisible might have had something to do with it.

.-.

Dark eyes stared at the man shown on the computer screen, the boy's lips twisting into an intense scowl.

Surely he was kidding, making the usual twisted attempt at humor he'd come to expect from his informer. How was he supposed to find someone the enemy had spent the last three years looking for?

Nearly every travel agency in the Americas and Europe was posted with photos of the boy, but knowing what he looked like wouldn't help finding him any. Appearance was nothing to go by here. The boy was invisible.

But he'd never failed a mission. Refusing, no matter how unlikely the success, was not an option.

"How am I going to find him?"

The doctor looked at the boy on the other side of the connection, his prosthetic eyes glinting as a small smirk played over his lips.

"OZ is an organization full of idiots. They have been trying to kill all mutants for so long that they refuse to use them. A good thing for us, because we have no such problem. I have received notice of a remarkable boy whose telepathic powers are unparalleled. If you can get to him, I know he'd help. His followers constitute the main problem. They are very devoted to his safety, so you'll have to get past them. Once you get within his open range, he'll sense your reason for coming."

"If his range is so small, how is he going to be able to find the other one?"

"It isn't small, just unfocused. When he focuses on a person he can find him at any distance. When he is not using his power, there is a small range in which he senses people."

"If he can read my motives, then why would he help me? I assumed you wanted me to capture this mutant."

The smirk shifted into a sly smile, and the old man leaned closer to the camera so he could see the boy.

"Not at all, Heero, we want him to join us. The telepath as well. Persuasion will be more useful than force for something of this delicate nature. We have to gather a small, elite team in order to destroy OZ once and for all. Before there are no mutants left."

"Mission accepted."

.-.

A young boy sat in a large, plush-back chair, his pale blue-green eyes wide as he stared at the monitor before him. A small cup of tea sat forgotten on the desk, the boy's entire attention focused on the images flashing on the screen. The monitor displayed the narrow, underground passages of the base, and right now they were aglow with explosions.

A lone figure, clad in pale jeans and a green tank-top, was quickly making his way through lines of troops. Dodging the bullets with inhuman speed, the boy barely flinched as bombs went off, shrapnel slicing bared flesh to leave streams of blood behind. The intruder threw off these injuries, not slowing in his progress through the base.

He wasn't even defending himself. In fact, he wasn't even armed.

The blonde boy slowly leaned forward, a hand going to his pale temple in more of a reflex action than actual necessity as he probed for the thoughts of the boy. Finally, his brows knotted as he searched that cold mind. He didn't find the evil intentions he'd expected.

His pulse sped up and he adjusted his thin headphones. "Rashid, stop your attack. I repeat, stop your attack."

A low voice answered the order, explosions echoing in the background. "Master Quatre, he's unbelievably strong. He could be masking his thoughts."

"No, he's broadcasting them as hard as he can. He needs to see me. That's why he's not fighting back. He doesn't want anybody to get hurt. Stop your attack."

The pale boy's eyes narrowed suddenly, and his soft voice hardened. "That is an order, Rashid."

"Yes."

The order was issued, and the image on the screen became dull with a suddenness that was uncanny. The dark-haired boy stopped running abruptly, standing still when Rashid moved toward him with empty hands raised.

Although Quatre couldn't hear what was said, he could see the boy nod at Rashid's words, following as the tall man led him down the corridors past the angry Maguanac soldiers who knew enough to realize that they hadn't done a very good job protecting their charge and friend, or their base.

.-.

Heero's eyes narrowed as he assessed the slender male in front of him. No taller than him, the boy had pale blond hair that covered his head, a few thick strands falling into his light bluish-green eyes. His expression was friendly and open as he extended his hand to Heero.

"My name is Quatre," the blonde said softly, watching the other with an intently solemn gaze. "I am very sorry you were hurt so badly. If you need any sort of medical attention-"

Ignoring the hand, Heero crossed his blood-covered arms and scowled. "I heal very fast. I'm not injured anymore. Besides, it's good practice to be careful who you let into your base. Your security would have been able to stop a non-mutant."

"Yes..."

Quatre lowered his hand, a light blush staining his cheeks, and gestured to a chair at the small table near them. "Please sit."

Not waiting to see if the other boy would follow, Quatre sat in one of the chairs and poured himself a cup of tea. When he looked up, he saw the boy pull back the other chair and sit down across from him.

"Would you like some tea?" asked Quatre. "I'm not stalling, but it would be rude of me to drink in front of you without offering you some sort of refreshment."

Heero raised an eyebrow, trying to determine whether or not Quatre was being sarcastic, but decided against it. The boy seemed far too intelligent to be inciting him on purpose. By now the telepath had to know his strength.

He wasn't sure how much the boy had read from him, but he imagined it was more than he'd ever have told him directly. If that were true, the blonde now knew more about him than anyone alive.

"Actually," Heero said, giving a slow nod to the attentive boy, "I would like coffee, if you have any."

"Of course."

The tension ebbed, and Quatre gestured to the servant who was standing just inside the doorway. The man brought a pot over and set it on the table before exiting the room quietly.

Dark blue eyes met him as the boy took a small sip from the cup, and Quatre leaned forward to stare intently at him. From his brief tour into the boy's mind, he knew Heero wouldn't mind the look. Reading his mind again would be intrusive, so Quatre let his gaze move over that seemingly blank expression, memorizing the features and searching for any visible hint as to what was going on in that cool mind.

"Do you really think I could be of some help to you?" asked Quatre.

The question made Heero frown a little, considering the telepath had surely gained complete access to his thoughts, but he answered anyway.

"I don't know," said Heero. "I simply follow the orders of my associate. If he says we need you, then I'll work with you. I do, however, think you can help me find him."

Quatre shook his head, returning the boy's slight frown. "But this person, you don't know even his name. I have to have something to go on in order to locate a person. I don't need to have met them, but I must have something to connect me to him, to his essence."

His informant hadn't mentioned this, but Heero had thought of it on his way to the hidden base.

Finding an invisible person was difficult enough. It was even stranger to be searching when he didn't know anything at all about the boy aside from his age and his mutant talent. Neither he nor the doctor knew the mutant's name, but a bit of investigation into OZ's computers had revealed an origin. The key was getting the telepath to the only location he knew the mutant had been in contact with.

The blonde boy was watching him, a hint of disappointment visible on his open face. Heero leaned forward.

"Would you be willing to leave this place and go somewhere with me?"

The answer was blatant in those expressive eyes, but Heero elaborated. "Without the guards. I can guarantee your safety."

Quatre's eyes widened at the prospect.

He'd spent most of his life in the mansion above his companions' base. As a mutant, he was unidentified, and the Maguanacs had been careful to keep things that way.

The thought of leaving, setting out for a potentially dangerous mission to help the dark-haired boy aroused an immediate excitement in him. He wanted to go, to be useful, but there was another reason he'd played a hidden part in his friends' past battle. Aside from his telepathic abilities, he was little more than a fifteen year old boy.

Dark eyes continued to watch him, and he blinked slowly, holding his eminent disappointment at bay as he warned the boy. "I'm not physically powerful besides some simple self-defense moves. I'd likely get in your way."

Heero nodded, taking in the boy's honest tone. "You probably would if we ran into OZ, but it's necessary. If I take you to a place that he lived in, you'd have a better chance of finding him, right?"

"Yes," Quatre said, blinking at the boy's unworried expression. "It would help if it were a place of importance to him, some place where he felt strong emotions. A childhood home might not hold many mental traces, but it would be a start. You have a place in mind?"

"You'll find out when we get there," Heero said sharply.

His expression hardened, and he held the boy's surprised gaze.

"I don't want your followers trying to go after us. They'd attract too much attention."

The blonde dropped his eyes but looked up again after a few seconds. Heero was relieved to see Quatre's quick nod.

He softened his tone just a bit in response, not quite reassuring but not so cold.

"If you go," said Heero, "protecting you will be part of my mission. I never fail a mission."

.-.

A black-haired boy stood at the edge of a tall cliff, arms raised over his thrown back head, wind rushing through his loose shoulder-length hair. Dark clouds congregated over his head, rumbling threateningly as they collided and churned.

The loud rumble of an aircraft lifting off reached him through the sound of the gathering storm.

Black eyes snapped open, a sharp gaze latching onto the craft, and he abruptly brought a hand down to point at the center of the plane. With a vicious crack, lightening blazed across the sky, striking the plane. As if a molten blade, the current sliced the craft in half, igniting the fuel and sparking a blinding burst of flames.

The raining fall of pieces on the forest below was anticlimactic. The storm disappeared as quickly as it had come, taking the dark boy with it.

.-.

A long braid of hair slashed silently against a dark unseen coat, the boy slipping into the room with a dull expression.

He didn't know why he instinctively waited until night to attack. It wasn't as if they could see him any better in the daytime. He was just more comfortable in the dark.

So much time had passed that he wondered if he could still turn visible. He had long since come to think of himself as an eternally unseen shadow in the blackness. And it was easier than he'd imagined in the beginning.

He didn't actually have to see himself. He could tell without looking if he were hurt or dirty, nothing else really mattered.

Besides that, it had taken him far too long to remain invisible for long periods of time. Now he was unseen continuously. He couldn't risk ruining that habit. It was such a useful habit. He could kill better this way.

Loneliness, unable to even see his own face as some bit of consolation, had become a simple fact of life for him.

Everyone who saw him died. Now they would die as well.

The soldier sitting at the control panel never even turned. He didn't sense the hand that moved silently in front of his neck, a sharp blade curving in a sudden arc that spilled blood down his front. He made a gasping choke, his eyes wide and glazed when he slipped out of his seat.

The other man in the room leapt to his feet, staring in shock at his fallen comrade. He took a step towards him, his hand outstretched, and he moved into hot pain as his neck was given a similar cut.

His last thought as he fell was that he could have sworn he felt an arm when he flailed his way to the ground.

It was almost too easy, the death so simple and merciless. But they hadn't shown the children any mercy. They hadn't spared a moment's thought to the slaughter of dozens of innocents.

He wouldn't show any mercy either.

.-.

Wind rushed through long reddish-brown bangs, a silent figure watching from his perch in a thick tree. The base was close enough that he had a perfect view.

It was obvious what was happening, and his brows drew together in a worried frown.

Why was he leaving the safety of his base?

He could feel the excitement that filled the boy, but it didn't reach him at all. If he hadn't gotten back from his last attack he'd have found him gone.

The pale blonde boy slid into the passenger seat of a nondescript car, and green eyes snapped to the person behind the steering wheel. Dark blue eyes sparked amid the scowling expression, recognizable as a perpetual coldness. He didn't know him. He'd never seen the dark-hared mutant before, not once in all of his time watching the place.

Who was it? Where was he taking him?

He felt so calm near the boy. He couldn't simply let him leave. He couldn't be left behind. He knew better. Without the gentle telepath he'd never be able to control his fury.

The car moved down the road, cutting through the thick wood that towered to either side. If one of the occupants had looked over, he might have seen glimpses of a dark figure moving through the air, keeping pace with the car and skimming the top of the trees.

The boy hid himself by flying low over the trees, but his green eyes were narrowed with an inner concentration. He had to do more than hide his physical form, he also had to hide himself from the gentle yet powerful mind inside the car.

He wouldn't be left behind. He would not let him go.

.-.

His steps crackled on the cold ground, and he could see the imprints of his shoes. That was the only sign of his passage.

He loved the woods, his gaze flicking over the quiet place. But it was too cold, much too cold to be traveling in nothing more than the old coat he'd worn for nearly a year. He should have stolen a thicker one.

It made him wish he'd picked a warmer climate for camping outdoors. It was too bad there weren't any buildings near the base he'd attacked last.

But thinking of what he should have done made him imagine more. If he wished he'd stolen a coat, he might as well have wished for a car. That was just as simple to steal.

The idea brought an image to his mind, an abrupt bout of laughter breaking the stillness.

He could just see people's faces if a car suddenly started to drive itself. It would be a stunt he'd never forget. But it would draw too much notice.

Walking briskly, he wondered how long it would be before they stopped posting his picture all over the planet.

Someday they would give up on finding him, or he'd kill them all. Someday he'd be able to show his face again, or he'd die. Either way, this sort of life couldn't last forever.

A soft sigh passed over his lips and he shook his head, thick bangs brushing his cheeks.

There was no point thinking about it. He needed to find some place to set up camp. Hopefully, he could find a spot with enough cover that he could throw a tent. The last time he'd tried that, a group of teens had come by and stolen it. He didn't want a repeat of that. It had been utterly infuriating to stand aside and watch their antics, unable to protest at all lest they discover his presence.

But it was far too cold to go without some bit of shelter tonight. It was worth the risk.

.-.

Nature was crushing him with irony; it was as unfair as it was utterly ridiculous. He could call a hurricane to do his bidding, but he couldn't even start a fire to warm his hands. And he had no one to blame but himself.

He shouldn't have come so deep into the forest. Any fire he started now would be so large it could easily destroy the entire area.

Dark eyes narrowed bitterly as he brushed a hand through his shoulder-length black hair. He pushed the straight strands out of his face and glared at the ground, trudging through the underbrush.

At least he could keep it from snowing. So long as he kept moving, he would conserve some amount of body heat.

But the thought of walking all night made him wish he'd slept in that morning. By the time the sun came up, he'd be so tired he would have to find a hole to crawl into for a much-needed rest. He was so tired, far too tired to be only halfway to his next target.

Suddenly he stopped, head lifted so he could smell the air. He was in tune with nature, in his element, so to speak, and the scent pervading the breeze was too distinct to be imagined. But the odds...

He'd thought one only saw mirages in the desert. He'd certainly never heard of smelling a mirage.

That meant there was a fire nearby.

He wasn't about to kill some innocent hunter, but surely he could convince the man that he was lost or something.

Determination written on his face, he followed the smoke. He came to the edge of a small bluff and looked down. There, just as he'd hoped, was a small tent set up beside a small but very warm looking fire.

It wasn't wise to sneak up on a hunter who could easily take a shot thinking he was a wild animal. Narrow brows drew together, and he called down to the tent.

"Hello down there! Can I share your fire? I'm unarmed."

There was no answer. In fact, he couldn't see anyone.

A frown claimed his face as he made his way down the cliff to stop directly in front of the fire.

The flap of the tent was open, allowing heat to enter, but there was no one inside. He looked around the campsite, but didn't see anyone.

He circled the fire and crouched at the opening of the tent. The hunter would probably be surprised when he came back, but he doubted the man would be that upset if he were to sit inside until then.

The smoke was rising from the little fire, but the heat inside the tent was much better than outside it.

Having convinced himself, the boy reached a hand inside the tent. And his fingers encountered a shoulder.

There was an abrupt shuffling, his dark eyes widening as he stared into the seemingly empty tent. For a moment, he was frozen in shock, his outstretched hand trembling just a bit.

He took a breath and slowly extended the hand.

That sound of sudden movement came again, and he saw the back of the tent shift slightly, as if something had pressed against it.

"What..?" the black-eyed boy whispered, awe mixing with his shock. "A...a mutant? Invisible...?"

He'd never heard of such a thing, and the very idea placed a lock-down over his reflexes.

Strong hands shoved against him suddenly, catching him off guard. He fell to the ground outside the tent, his gaze shifting to follow the sounds of running steps. He saw fallen leaves move on the ground as the footfalls entered the forest. And then there was silence, his own quickly released breath the only sound.

Shock gave way to awe, and he caught his breath with anticipation. A mutant with such a power...

If he were to unite with such a person they would be a mighty force.

He stood quickly, his sharp black eyes turning to the dark sky as he curled his hands into fists.

Clouds began to gather rapidly, moved by his urgency. Sudden snowflakes flurried down, thickening until they became a sheet of white, blanketing the area.

Frowning with concentration, he enlarged the storm so it fell on an increasingly larger diameter around the place where he stood. Only when two inches of snow covered the ground did he stop the storm.

Controlling nature made him a good tracker. The mutant couldn't hide now.

He moved through the woods, searching by the light of brief flashes of lightening until he spotted the footprints he'd been looking for.

The mutant was still running. The steps were far apart from a long stride, the weight of speed making heavy indentations. He'd have to be quick, or the mutant would find a place where footprints weren't visible.

Despite that possibility, the boy smiled, his dark eyes flashing in the pale lightning.

If that happened, he'd try something else. At least this way he was staying warm.

.-.

He didn't know what to do.

The snow made it hard to run without loosing his footing, and his breaths were visible clouds on the cold air.

He couldn't believe this was happening. And he knew he couldn't keep running like he was. Every step he took was outlined in the impossibly sudden snow.

The black-haired boy had to be some sort of elemental. That was the only explanation unless his luck had truly run out. Either way, his best chance was to find some sort of hiding spot out of the snow.

With narrowed violet eyes, he found a target and leapt upwards. His hands scraped on the snow and ice-covered tree branch as he scrambled onto it. He nearly slipped when he tried standing, but his balance held long enough for him to make the short jump to a nearby branch in a different tree. The progress was painstakingly slow, but more efficient than using the ground.

With panicky determination, he made his way towards the nearest cliff. His gaze slid along the shadows until he found one that looked deeper than the others.

.-.

"It's so...horrible..."

Heero watched the small blonde as he sat in the midst of the rubble that was once a church. The telepath was shaking as he probed the history of the place, looking for a boy who'd once lived there.

Head bowed where he crouched, Quatre wrapped his arms around himself. The images and thoughts tied to this place were shrieks of painful horror to his senses, chilling him to the core.

His voice came out as a soft whisper. "I...his name...his name is Duo. He couldn't control his power and OZ found out about it. They...they murdered everyone trying to get him."

Tearing his mind away from the ruins, Quatre opened pain-filled eyes. He lifted them to meet Heero's gaze.

"He's been running ever since," said Quatre, "but...he's been killing too."

"Who?" asked Heero.

The question was asked without any hint of judgment on Heero's part. It didn't really matter so long as the mutant wasn't consumed with uncontrollable blood-lust. As a rebel against OZ, Heero was the last person to judge another mutant's actions. It was just better to know ahead of time what sort of person he'd be dealing with.

Quatre stared at him with visibly hurt eyes, and Heero shifted impatiently.

There was no give in the dark-haired boy's gaze. After a second, Quatre dropped his eyes.

"OZ," said Quatre. "Just OZ."

"Fine," Heero said sharply.

He watched the boy step out of the remains.

"Can you find him?" asked Heero.

"I...I'll try," said Quatre.

Following the trace, Quatre reached up to rub his temples, a habit he'd gotten into when he concentrated. He was silent for what seemed an eternity, slipping along a path as if following a faint scent.

He abruptly found his target, the loud emotions and thoughts forming a sort of cry in his mind. Jerking, Quatre opened bright eyes.

"He's in trouble," said Quatre.

"Where is he?" asked Heero.

Heero glanced back as he led the way to the car.

"Near," Quatre said quickly.

The urgency in that contact made him rush, passing Heero by as they reached the vehicle.

"He's hiding in a cave," said Quatre. "In a forest, and someone is stalking him. Someone who can control the weather. An elemental. We have to hurry. He can't hide there forever. He doesn't have any supplies. And he's afraid to hurt the tracker - to hurt another mutant. He's more likely to hide than to reveal himself if it means having to fight someone his age. But if he stays where he is, he'll freeze to death."

"If he isn't found and killed first," said Heero.

Heero's eyes narrowed at the thought. If the mutant died then his mission would be a complete failure. All of his efforts would be for nothing. The thought of failing the one thing he was good at was unacceptable. He lived for the opposition, the fight against OZ, and that fight was centered on his missions. He couldn't fail.

"Where is this forest?" asked Heero. "Do you know?"

"I can lead you to it," said Quatre.

His attention was split between his surroundings and that vibrant mind he'd tapped into.

"But I don't know the name of the area..."

"I don't need the name," said Heero. "If we can find him, can you calm him down enough for us to approach, or do we need a tranquilizer?"

The blonde had mentioned being able to control people during the drive to the church, but Heero had reservations about depending on an unproven power. Quatre nodded sharply, though, those pale eyes harder than they'd been before, shining with urgency.

"If he's asleep," said Quatre, "I can keep him like that until we can get him to a secure place. Will that do?"

"Yes."

Heero nodded, climbing into the driver's seat and jerking the door shut as Quatre got in beside him.

"We just have to get to him first," said Heero.

.-.

Though he wasn't close enough to hear the two boys, a quick glance into their minds told him everything he needed to know. His eyes narrowed in reaction.

It was too dangerous for him.

He understood why the stranger would ask Quatre to help him, but for him to go along was just too risky. Telepathic abilities aside, he wasn't capable of defending himself. He'd get hurt.

The car moved, and he glared after it, following.

No, Quatre wouldn't get hurt. He wouldn't let him get hurt.

.-.

Surely the mutant couldn't fly. If he could, he wouldn't have bothered to run so far. So where had he gone?

Holding his coat around him, the black-haired boy looked from the last set of prints to the unmarked snow around them. After a moment, he sniffed, his eyes snapping upward to latch onto a nearby tree.

Clever, but the mutant should have realized he would notice that the limb wasn't covered with snow.

With a new trail, he moved onward, following the marks of passage.

.-.

Now it would be dangerous, with the four males in the same area. He'd have to be careful how he flew. He couldn't risk letting one of them see him. But he couldn't hide either. He'd be unable to protect the telepath if he kept his distance.

And where was the elemental? With snow covering the ground, it should have been easy to find a person on foot.

He'd just have to get closer until he could locate the tracker.

.-.

Wide black eyes stared at the two boys, shock coursing through him.

Who were they?

He was certain the mutant had to be nearby, but with them as a distraction, he could lose the trail.

And why were they there to begin with? Unless...unless they were after him too. And if that were the case, how could they know the mutant had run this way? They'd come out of nowhere.

.-.

"Stay very close to me, Quatre," Heero whispered. "I don't see anybody, but I can feel eyes watching us."

"The tracker," Quatre whispered back.

He was leading the dark-haired Japanese boy, but he obeyed that warning, not straying more than a pace ahead.

"I know he's near," said Quatre, "but when I try to pinpoint him, all I get is an image of snow."

"Doesn't matter," said Heero. "Is he asleep?"

"Yes," Quatre said quickly. "A little closer, and I can keep him asleep."

"Good. Concentrate on that. I'll watch for our watcher."

.-.

Dark eyes followed the two boys as they moved in a straight path, headed toward the large bluffs in the distance. They didn't seem to be following any tracks at all.

If they really were looking for the mutant, then how could they know where to go?

An unspoken thought resulted in the cold wind picking up until any sound of his movements was hidden as he followed the pair.

.-.

He'd found him. Hovering out of sight in case the boy looked back, he frowned down at him.

The tracker hadn't actually done anything yet. He didn't want to kill him without reason.

No, he'd wait.

Green eyes looked in the direction the blonde boy had gone and narrowed sharply.

He'd protect him. Him...and his sanity.

.-.

"It's alright, Heero. We can speak. He won't wake up."

Blue-green eyes searched the dark cave before meeting the Japanese boy's narrow cobalt-blue eyes.

"Is he here?" asked Heero.

At the blonde boy's nod, he frowned.

"Can you make him become visible? It would make things easier."

"I...I can, but...Heero. He has been invisible for at least two years. It would be...intrusive."

"Forget your compassion," said Heero.

Throwing a glance through the mouth of the cave, Heero's eyes narrowed even more.

"We have no time for it. You can apologize to him later, after we get past that tracker."

Downcast, Quatre nodded, then frowned in concentration.

Color suddenly flashed in the corner, but only for a second.

"Is that him?" asked Heero.

Heero took a step towards the corner, but stopped, looking back at Quatre.

"Can't you do it?"

"I did," said Quatre. "He's trying, very hard. But...it may have been too long. One of his fears is that he can no longer _become_ visible. Those fears are inhibiting him. I...I'm having trouble convincing him."

"I thought he was asleep," Heero said with a scowl.

"Oh. He is, but I can still read his subconscious mind."

"Then stop trying to convince him. Make it an order. A command. You can do that, can't you?"

"Heero..."

Quatre sighed as he could see the other boy was getting impatient.

"I guess I'm being too sensitive," he admitted. "We don't have time."

Abruptly, there was a series of flashes from the corner. Then the figure of a boy came into view.

He lay curled on his side, his back facing them. A long chestnut colored braid of hair stood out against the faded black of his clothing. He was wearing a long black coat, but it was visibly thin.

Nodding to Quatre, Heero moved to him.

"Are you sure he won't wake up?" asked Heero.

"Yes," Quatre said quietly.

They were the first to see him in years. It was so wrong. It made him wish there were another way. This was one of the reasons he didn't exercise his powers.

Looking over the boy, Heero nodded suddenly.

"I'll carry him," he said, with a glance to Quatre. "Can you fire a gun?"

"Of course. It was part of my training."

"Good," said Heero. "If nothing else, maybe the sight of the gun will make the tracker wary."

"If you are talking about me," a voice said softly, "then you are mistaken."

Heero turned abruptly, eyes narrowing on the black haired boy standing in the mouth of the cave. A gun was in his hands immediately.

Quatre stared in horror, his eyes darting back and forth from one gun to the other.

"Get away from him, or I'll shoot you," said the black-haired boy.

He didn't show any fear at the sight of Heero's gun. While he hadn't heard all of what they'd said, he knew the unconscious boy was the one he'd been following. He also realized that they planned to take the mutant with them.

"Shoot me if you like," said Heero. "But you'll be dead before you have time to fire a second shot."

Heero's voice was impassive, his muscles tensed to rush the boy. His speed was nothing to scoff at. Immediate healing was not his only ability.

"Then I'll shoot _him_ instead," said the tracker.

The gun was suddenly trained on Quatre, whose eyes widened until they seemed to fill his face. The blonde boy let out a soft gasp and froze as he stared at the black muzzle aimed at his head.

"No," a cool voice said. "You won't."

Black eyes widened as a blade touched his neck, a tanned arm curved over his shoulder. He hadn't even heard him. He didn't know if this new arrival was with the other two, but he didn't dare lower the gun. He was sure he'd be killed the moment he did.

Not lowering the gun, either, Heero looked at the new boy. One vivid green eye met his, glaring, the other hidden by a sharp fall of red-brown bangs that covered half of his face. He was a good head taller than the black-haired boy.

How had things gotten so out of hand? He didn't know what to do, hadn't counted on this at all.

Quatre stared at the two boy's standing together, still being careful not to move since the gun was still trained on him. He couldn't figure out how the tall boy had managed to sneak up on them without him sensing it. He'd felt the tracker, even if he hadn't been able to pinpoint him. But the new one...

Quatre concentrated for a minute, probing for that mind. His eyes widened even more as he found himself touching a wall such as he'd never imagined. If he hadn't been staring directly at the green-eyed boy, he wouldn't have believed he was real.

"What happens now?" the black-haired boy asked slowly.

He was mindful of the sharp blade touching his neck.

"I won't let them take him," he said to the boy behind him. "If I have to pull the trigger I will. Then you can kill me, but it will be too late, won't it."

"No..." said the taller teen. "I don't think you understand why they are here. Why are you following him?"

The knife loosened ever so slightly, encouraging the boy to speak.

Black eyes narrow, the boy firmly closed his mouth. He wouldn't tell them he was a mutant. Whoever they were, he couldn't take the risk.

.-.

Why was it so hard to wake? Duo wasn't exactly a morning person, but he'd never had so much trouble before.

Slowly swimming to consciousness, Duo opened his heavy eyes. His eyes widened more as he registered the voices, right behind him. But they practically popped out of his head when he realized the arm he saw in front of him was his own.

A sharp curse sounded in his mind as he stared in horror.

He'd lost control? He never lost control while he was alseep. What the hell would cause that?

Sitting up quickly, he turned, and his mouth fell open in shock.

Four boys stood in the cave. The black-haired tracker he recognized. He was in the doorway, and a green-eyed boy had a knife to his throat, while he had a gun aimed at a pale blonde boy. And right in front of him a dark-haired boy stood with a gun on the tracker.

It was like a Mexican stand-off.

Blinking at them, Duo wondered if they would notice if he turned invisible again and snuck out. Just as he was about to find out, all four sets of eyes were suddenly on him.

His breath caught in his throat. That was it, he was dead.

Still, he couldn't help but try.

"Uh...would you guys mind continuing this without me?" asked Duo.

Heero blinked, startled for a moment before his eyes narrowed.

"Get behind me," Heero said sharply.

Not waiting to see if the violet-eyed boy did it, he turned back to the black-haired boy.

"Why?" asked Duo.

Heero flinched, but refused to dignify that question with an answer. Instead, he focused his attention on the boy still holding a gun on Quatre. That boy, however, was looking in surprise from him to the person sitting on the floor.

"Are you protecting him?" the tracker asked in shock. "From me?"

He slowly lowered his gun.

"I wouldn't hurt him..."

Quatre's eyes widened and he sighed in relief, barely resisting the temptation to collapse. He'd never been so close to death.

"We aren't going to hurt him either," Quatre said quickly.

Duo looked in confusion at the boys. Then he stood and looked at the green-eyed boy who'd loosened the knife a bit more.

"How about you?" asked Duo. "If you guys aren't after me, then I'll just get out of here. Okay?"

He took a step toward the mouth of the cave, but the dark-haired boy grabbed his arm as he passed.

"You're not going anywhere," said Heero.

Heero wasn't sure what was going on, but there was no way he'd let his target get away.

Duo looked stricken for a minute. Then he moved suddenly, wrenching away and ducking to a point between Heero and Quatre - but out of grabbing distance.

They were all looking at him now, the knife gone from the tracker's throat as the green-eyed boy centered his attention on him. Duo began to panic. He couldn't remember the last time so many people had looked at him. He couldn't take it. Hopefully he hadn't lost complete control of his abilities.

Heero's eyes narrowed when the longhaired boy suddenly disappeared.

"Block the exit!" said Heero. "Quatre!"

The blonde boy scowled fiercely, and a sharp cry sounded near the opening as Duo abruptly flashed back and fell to his knees, head in his hands.

Breathing heavily, Duo raised tortured purple eyes to the two boys who now stood, blocking his escape. He fought the power controlling his mind, his eyes narrowed to slits. With a groan, he disappeared again, but reappeared almost immediately as pain filled his head.

Heero crossed the room quickly, grabbing both of the boy's arms and holding him immobile.

"Quatre. Knock him out."

Duo struggled briefly before falling limp.

The black-haired boy took a quick step forward, brows knotted in fury, and Heero stood, lifting the unconscious boy.

"Let's go somewhere warmer to discus this," said Heero.

He shot a look at the boy with long bangs, the tall one who was still holding his knife.

"You, too," said Heero.

"Yes," said Quatre.

He'd had finally gotten Duo asleep deep enough to be certain he wouldn't waken soon. Now he looked over at the tall boy who was standing in the doorway.

"I want to thank you for...stepping in. And I'd like to know how you block yourself behind such a strong wall. I've tried, but I'm not very good at it."

To spend time with him...there was no question.

"Alright."

Quatre smiled at the monotone reply.

"And you?" he asked of the tracker.

"He isn't going anywhere without me."

Heero's eyes narrowed in sudden, inexplicable anger at the black-haired boy's sharp expression. But he calmed just as quickly.

"Let's go," said Heero.

.-.

It was a long drive to the safehouse they'd secured.

The tall boy had said he'd meet them there. No one asked how he knew where it was.

Quatre was driving, having assured Heero that Duo wouldn't wake up for hours. The black-haired boy was in the passenger seat, turned so he could see into the back of the car, where Heero sat with Duo curled up on the seat beside him.

Black eyes narrowed as they spotted beads of perspiration on the longhaired boy's brow. He glared at the Heero.

"Does he have a fever?"

Heero's eyes narrowed, and he placed a hand on the damp brow. Then he shook his head and began undoing the long coat.

"He's just hot," said Heero. "As cold as it was out there, it's no surprise."

Black eyes followed his every move as he lifted the limp boy, discarding the coat on the floorboard. Then both were distracted by the clothing the boy was wearing. He was dressed as a priest.

For a minute Heero remained leaning over him, merely looking at him.

The dark-eyed boy cleared his throat, his glaring gaze meeting Heero's raised eyebrow. Still watching Duo, Heero slowly sat back in the seat. He gave the tracker another questioning glare before closing his eyes and leaning his head back.


	2. Agreed

_**Part 2: Agreed**_

Duo stretched and rubbed his eyes. He stopped when he felt a hand next to his.

Not moving his head, he looked to his left and saw that there was a hand handcuffed to his own.

He lowered his arm and turned to find the brown-haired Japanese boy seated beside him, his right wrist handcuffed to Duo's. It was the boy from the cave.

Their eyes met.

Duo snapped his head around, his eyes widening as he caught sight of the other three boys. The green-eyed boy was leaning against the wall near the door, the blond boy was seated in a soft chair across a small coffee table from the couch Duo and the brown-haired boy were on, and the tracker was seated cross-legged on the floor beside the table.

They were all looking at him.

Since none seemed too eager to speak, Duo checked out the room they were in. It looked like a living room. A normal one, except there were no windows and three deadbolt locks were visible on the shut door.

Growing nervous beneath the stares, Duo shifted on the couch putting more distance between himself and the boy. He raised his wrist and looked pointedly at it, then into the cobalt eyes staring at him, before catching the gaze of the others.

"Is this really necessary?" he asked.

The blond boy blushed, causing Duo to stare in surprise.

"We didn't want you to run off before we had a chance to talk," said Quatre. "I'm sorry for man-handling you like this."

Duo looked down at the handcuffs again, still uncomfortable with so many eyes on him. He moved his hand to sit between him and the other boy.

"Well," he said slowly. "Now's your chance. Go ahead and talk. It doesn't look like I'm going anywhere."

"Hn."

Duo looked up, meeting those cobalt eyes beside him.

"What?" asked Duo.

"We want you to join us in our fight against OZ," said Heero.

He looked to the black haired boy for a moment before his gaze switched to the green-eyed boy. "If you others are qualified, this is a rather open invitation."

Duo looked at him for a moment and raised an eyebrow.

"What can you do?" he asked.

"I am fast," said Heero, "very fast. I also heal immediately upon injury. That is the extent of my mutant powers, but I'm also trained in espionage. It was an acquaintance of mine who heard about you and wanted me to find you."

Duo stared at him a while longer before turning to the black haired boy who'd tracked him earlier.

"Why were you following me?" he asked. "The way you guys were all set to kill each other, I didn't think you were working together."

Black eyes widened.

"As soon as I realized your power," the tracker said, "I knew our strength would be great. I'm an elemental. I can control the weather, the elements. I can also block searches done by telepaths."

He shot a glance at the blonde boy.

Following his gaze, Duo looked at the pale boy. "Okay, looks like that's your cue. So you're a telepath?"

"Mostly," said Quatre. He met Duo's eyes reluctantly, still feeling guilty for having invaded the boy's mind. "I am a telepath, but I can also find people. And I can control them if I'm close enough."

"So I have you to thank for that," Duo sniffed.

Quatre looked down quickly, pink flooding his cheeks.

"Don't sweat it," Duo said with a laugh. "I have to say, it was better than being hit over the head or something."

He looked at the green-eyed boy, but that one wasn't looking at him. The boy's eyes were glued to the blushing blonde.

What was this? Was that a budding romance he saw there?

Duo smirked. "How about you? What's your specialty? Are you with these two?"

He gestured at Heero and Quatre.

Looking caught for a moment, the tall boy blinked.

"I can hide myself from telepaths as well," he said. "Better than Wufei."

The black-haired boy leapt to his feet, staring at the tall boy in shock.

"How?" asked Wufei.

"I am a very strong reader," the taller boy said with a shrug. "I can sense other's thoughts, I just can't transmit them. The wall I use to block myself from telepaths makes it difficult to transmit. I also fly."

"That's a pretty strong talent," said Duo. "So all of you are what, class A mutants? What do you need me for? All I can do is turn invisible. If you guys join forces, you won't have to fight to win - you can just make OZ surrender. You don't need me."

"No," said Heero.

Duo turned to look at the boy beside him, not liking the hard tone.

"My mission was to get you to join us," Heero explained. "I won't fail my mission."

It sounded like someone was obsessed, just a bit.

Duo raised an eyebrow at him. The guy seemed to be taking his mission just a tad too seriously.

"So what if I decide not to join you?" asked Duo.

"That's not an option."

Duo's eyes widened at the intense glare drilling into him, but he forced himself to be reasonable.

Would it be a bad thing? With their combined forces, they would be able to do a lot of damage.

And why shouldn't he join them? He'd been complaining about how lonely he was, fighting by himself.

He shot a look at the intense boy beside him. And besides, it didn't look like he was going to take no for an answer.

"What are your names? Mine's Duo Maxwell. I already know yours." Duo grinned at the black-haired boy, who was still standing. "Anything to go with Wufei?"

Wufei's eyes widened for a moment, his face stunned. He simply didn't understand how Duo could be taking the situation so lightly. "Chang," he said finally. "But just call me Wufei."

They continued to look at each other for a minute, then Duo turned abruptly to the boy beside him.

"What about you?" asked Duo. "And could you undo these things?"

He raised his hand with a wry smile. "I'm not going to run off."

Heero's eyes narrowed, but he unlocked the handcuffs, setting them on the table. "Heero, Heero Yuy."

Duo nodded, giving him a searching look as he rubbed his wrist absent-mindedly. Then he pinned the blonde boy with a wide grin.

"I'm sure you already knew my name," he taunted, "what with your having invaded my head like that."

He was rewarded with seeing the boy's guilty expression. "What's your name?"

Quatre blushed, hating his inability to control such a display, and shot a glance to the tall boy behind him. He was surprised to see a slight smile on the other boy's face, and his blush deepened before he turned back to Duo.

"Quatre. Quatre Winner, and I'm sorry about that. It was necessary."

"Yeah," Duo said with a nod. "I know, but that doesn't mean I forgive you."

He had to hide a smirk, keeping his tone casual. The boy was so easy to tease.

He turned to look at the tall boy, and his grin widened when he noticed the way the guy was watching Quatre with a small smile.

Did he have any idea how obvious he was?

Probably not. And Duo had an idea it would be better not to start anything with that one.

"And you?" he prodded.

"I've went by a lot of names," the boy said slowly. He glanced from Duo to Quatre and gave a vague shrug. "Trowa. You can call me Trowa Barton."

Duo sat back on the couch, folding his arms.

They were complicated. Too complicated to work together as a unit? Only time would tell.


	3. A Pastime

_**Part 3: A Pastime**_

Who did Heero think he was, telling him to stay visible when he was inside the safe-house? What did he expect, for him to turn traitor the moment he was out of sight?

He'd told the boy that he never lied, but obviously Heero didn't believe him.

Duo had said he'd join them and he had meant it. But he never agreed to obey orders. Unfortunately he had given his word that he wouldn't be disappearing in the halls.

It was much easier to sneak around while invisible.

Duo glanced around the hall, but didn't see anyone. They were eating the last time he'd seen them.

Although Duo loved to eat, he was bored out of his mind. He'd been stuck in the safe-house for two days, and it was eating away at him. He couldn't stay still that long. He was used to keeping on the move between attacks.

And they were so boring. They didn't do anything except look for bases to attack and discuss strategy.

All of that planning, yet they hadn't actually done anything since joining up together.

Duo paused at the door, tugging on the end of his braid.

He hadn't promised to stay inside all of the time, just to stay with them and be a part of the team. And he'd be back before they even knew he was gone.

Having convinced himself, he was about to open the door when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned with a guilty expression on his face, meeting Wufei's calm stare.

"Where are you going?" asked Wufei.

His tone was more curious than accusatory. Duo still winced.

"Uh..." Duo bit his lip, hating the part of him that insisted on honesty.

"I was going to the park," he mumbled. It sounded so childish that he looked down in embarrassment.

"Why?" asked Wufei. He moved closer and leaned against the wall opposite Duo. "What's there?"

Duo met his gaze with a weak smile. "I like to watch the people."

Wufei frowned, not sure what to make of the way the boy was wincing at his own words. "Watch them do _what_?"

Shaking his head, Duo glanced at the door then back at Wufei. "If I leave, do you think he'll throw a fit?"

Wufei frowned again, darker this time. "Who?" But it was a pointless question; he already knew.

"Heero," Duo said with a glare. "That bossy jerk who acts like I'm going to betray everybody the second I'm out of sight."

"How would he know?" asked Wufei. "He might just think you went invisible."

"No," Duo said angrily. "I'm not allowed to do that here."

Wufei's eyes widened in disbelief. "He told you that? Who does he think he is?"

Laughing suddenly, Duo grabbed Wufei's arm in a quick hug.

"That's exactly what I said! Man, why should I follow his orders? Tell you what, Wufei, I'm going to watch a basketball game, care to come with?"

Wufei looked at him in surprise, then he smiled slightly.

"How am I supposed to keep up with you?" asked Wufei. "You're not going to be visible, are you?"

Duo shook his head, still grinning. "Nope, but don't worry, it'll be fun."

Gripping the Chinese boy's arm, Duo opened the door. He vanished abruptly, then gave the arm a tug and pulled the boy outside.

"I like watching basketball," said Duo. "No one knows you, so it won't be dangerous."

Shutting the door, Wufei locked it before letting the unseen boy pull him outside and down the street.

Back inside the safehouse, Heero pushed away from the wall of his room, moving to the slightly open door and shoving it shut. He gave a sharp glare before turning and crossing to his desk, where he set himself to typing loudly enough that he couldn't quite hear the thoughts raging through his head.

Basketball of all things...the idiot.


	4. Fate

_**Part 4: Fate**_

Smiling slightly, Quatre placed a mug in front of the quiet boy. Then he took the seat across the table from him, and took a sip of tea before smiling again.

"You know, Trowa, you never did explain what you were doing near that cave. While I am incredibly grateful that you showed up, I can't help wondering how you happened to be there."

Trowa looked down into his cup with a shuttered gaze, taking a slow drink so he could postpone his response.

What could he say? _'Well, you see, I've been following you for a year now?'_ No. Of course he couldn't say anything like that. Proclaiming himself as a stalker was a definite way to alienate the boy.

"I was flying by when I noticed all of you," said Trowa. "Maybe it was fate."

He glanced up and had to hide a wince when he met Quatre's trusting expression.

It wasn't entirely a lie. He had been flying by the first time he'd noticed the boy, and he'd certainly been flying by when he initiated that standoff. But he couldn't shake the guilt at having broken that straightforward trust.

"Do you believe in fate?" Quatre asked with a smile. "I'd hate to believe that mutants have suffered because it was predetermined, but if fate is responsible for your timely arrival then I might change my mind."

Trowa blinked, taken back for a moment.

"Yes," he said. "I do believe in fate."

Fate was the only explanation for his having flown past the boy's base so long ago. Something like that was too unlikely to have been mere coincidence.

Silence filled the room as the two sat drinking their tea, sneaking glances at each other.

After a few minutes Quatre set down his empty cup and stared at the tall boy until he looked up. Their eyes met and he felt something spark. It was as if some sort of current ran though him, stopping when he blinked. He didn't even realize how long he'd been staring until Trowa raised an eyebrow.

"Oh!" Quatre blushed abruptly. "I didn't mean to stare. I was wondering if you had any...hobbies? Anything you like to do? When you're not fighting of course."

He loved what Quatre loved. The words didn't reach the air, but Trowa's eyes flickered with a strange light.

"I love music," he said finally. "I like to play the flute. You?"

The violin. He knew.

Quatre's eyes lit up. "I play too," he said with a smile. "The violin is my favorite instrument, although I do play other things. Trowa! Would you like to play some music with me? I have a flute you could use."

He waited expectantly, a bright smile dancing over his face.

Trowa looked at him for a long moment, face expressionless. Then his eyes softened and he gave a solemn nod. "That would be relaxing."

"I've always found music to be very relaxing," Quatre said, with wide eyes. "It's nice that we have so much in common. Come on, I'll show you a room where we won't have any interruptions."

Following the shorter boy, Trowa stared at the back of his head, eyeing his pale hair. It was with a long-suffering but silent sigh that he forced his eyes away and looked forward at the hall they were moving down.

It was a large safe-house, but he doubted it had its own music room. Where was he taking him? Could it be...?

No. The thought didn't even fully form before he cut it off. He knew better than that.

Trowa smirked as Quatre opened a door to reveal a small room, no doubt a den. And he'd hoped the boy would take him to his room. It was simply amazing how pathetic he'd become.

Quatre took two cases off a shelf and handed the one containing a flute to Trowa.

"I hope this room is okay," he said. "I put them here when Heero and I moved in. I haven't had a chance to play since then, so I'm really glad you're here. It's just so lonely to play by myself. Don't you think so?"

Trowa stared at him, trying not to get lost in those deep eyes. "Yes. Music should be shared."

Quatre smiled, his eyes lighting up. "What do you like to play? I do hope we know the same music."

Not quite meeting his gaze, Trowa named three songs in an off-handed way. His mouth twitched when he heard Quatre gasp.

"Those are my favorites!" Quatre exclaimed in surprise. "This is so... It's such a coincidence. But this is great. Not many people know those songs anymore. Which one do you want to play first?"

.-.

Hearing music, Heero moved silently down the hall, pausing outside a partially opened door.

He watched for a moment, just taking in the scene. It certainly looked like they were relaxing.

But something struck him as odd and his eyes narrowed, pausing on Trowa. The tall boy's green eyes were fixated on Quatre's enraptured face. Quatre's eyes were closed, a small smile gracing his lips even as his brows were creased slightly as he concentrated on the music he was making.

Now that complicated things. Or maybe not.

Why was Trowa at the cave, anyway? Rather than a complication...maybe this was an explanation.

With one last look at Trowa's expression, Heero moved away from the door.

He'd ask them later. There was no reason to interrupt over something so trivial.

A glance toward the front door had him frowning, though. It wasn't trivial. Not to Duo.

Heero sighed, closing his bedroom door behind him and taking his quiet seat in front of the computer. And it wasn't trivial to him, either.


	5. Good Morning

_**Part 5: Good Morning**_

"I just can't believe he didn't say anything," Duo grumbled.

He should have been glad. It wasn't any of Heero's business what he did.

Wufei looked at him, eyes narrowed.

"You didn't go alone," he said slowly. "It's not as if you were taking a risk."

"Yeah."

Duo took a large drink of coffee and got up, moving to refill his cup. It was early, but he'd slept surprisingly well and woken up before the others. Except for Wufei.

"Do you always get up so early?" asked Duo.

"Sometimes. It's nice to have someone to talk to. Usually I'd be practicing if I woke up this early."

Wufei dropped his gaze, brows furrowing slightly. He hadn't done any morning practice since joining them, and he knew better than to relax his own private training.

Duo smiled slightly, tilting his head as he looked at the brooding boy.

"Yeah," he drawled, "but I don't usually get up so early. I have trouble falling asleep."

He gave a soft laugh, an attempt to cheer up his morose friend. "Half the time I sleep till noon if I don't have a mission to do."

Wufei glanced up and a smirk twitched the corner of his lips. "There's nothing wrong with that. I usually sleep fine, but I have trouble getting back to sleep if I'm woken early."

That was safer territory; the shutters had disappeared from his friend's eyes, and Duo's smile widened in reaction.

"Want some more coffee, Wufei?"

At the boy's nod, he picked up the other mug and filled it again. He was just sitting back down when Quatre and Heero entered the kitchen, Trowa following.

"Good morning," Duo called. "I made coffee."

Quatre smiled as he sat beside Duo. "I don't drink coffee, but thank you anyway."

Heero grabbed a mug out of the cabinet, filling it before sitting across from Quatre, a seat conveniently left open next to the blonde boy.

"I'll make some tea," Trowa said softly.

He moved to do so even as he spoke. Quatre smiled in response.

"Thank you, Trowa."

"No need," Trowa said with a shrug. "I like tea."

He glanced at Duo, and nodded at the boy's raised eyebrow. "Not that there's anything wrong with coffee."

Duo smirked. "Thanks, Trowa," he said. "Next time I'll make both. Not that I expect to get up so early anytime soon, but you never know."

"Duo," Quatre said, a small smile playing at his lips. "Have you made any plans for today? I was thinking we could all do something together."

Duo's curiosity peaked and he glanced over eagerly. "What do you have in mind?"

"I thought we could do something that would let us have some fun and get used to working with each other at the same time. Do you play basketball?"

Duo's eyes widened until they seemed to fill his face. It had to be the last thing he'd expected the boy to propose, and the one thing guaranteed to get his hopes up.

"Do I!" he sputtered. "I love basketball! But...how? What if someone sees me? There are warrants out for me."

"I've already thought of that," Quatre said cheerfully. His smile widened. "I rented a gym."

"What?" asked Duo.

"My family had a lot of money," Quatre said quickly, "And no one knows I'm a mutant. Remember, I've never actively attacked OZ. I can access my accounts without any worry of attracting notice. You can sneak in, and turn visible once we're inside. Do you want to?"

Duo's eyes were wide, but he shoved the burgeoning excitement down a notch.

"What about you guys?" he asked.

He looked at Wufei, who smiled. Trowa nodded, glancing at Quatre.

Duo wasn't surprised. He had an idea Trowa would be following Quatre around until something came from it.

But he felt a little knot of irritation when he turned to the last person. He knew Heero would be against the idea, against anything that would involve the word 'fun.' So Duo was surprised to see him hosting a small smirk.

When Duo looked at him, Heero gave a sharp nod.

"It's a good chance to get used to working with each other," said Heero. "Quatre's right."

Definitely not what he'd expected, but Duo grinned at the nice surprise. He turned excited eyes on Quatre.

"Great! When can we go!"

"Uh..." Quatre looked taken back for a moment, and he smiled at the boy's enthusiasm. "Why don't we have breakfast first, okay?"


	6. The Game

_**Part 6: The Game**_

Duo wheeled around, almost stomping his foot in frustration. "If you don't stop it, Yuy, I'm going to kick your ass!"

Smirking, Heero stole the ball again, using his speed to get out of the livid boy's range before tossing it to Trowa. Without blinking, Trowa leapt into the air and made a dunk.

"That's not fair!" Duo wailed. His hands were on his hip as he glared at the two boys. "If you two don't stop using your powers, I'm going to start playing dirty too."

He turned on Heero. "See how well you can steal the ball if you can't see it!"

"Okay-okay!" Quatre cried. He raised his hands in an attempt to calm his partner.

Wufei smirked from his place in the sidelines.

"No more cheating," said Quatre. "Play fairly, all right?"

He pinned Trowa with a disapproving look and the tall boy's lips twitched.

"Heero?" prodded Quatre.

"I can't be blamed if he's slow," Heero shrugged. He watched Duo, waiting for him to explode. He didn't have a long wait.

"You!"

Duo leapt for the Japanese boy. Quatre threw himself on him and barely held him back.

Wufei let out a sharp bark of laughter that caused Duo to stiffen and turn on him abruptly.

"You think this is funny!" Duo accused.

"Hilarious," said Wufei, his expression dead-panned.

Duo growled, glaring his frustration.

"Are we going to play or what?" he grumbled. "Come on, Wufei. Trowa, you're out of this one, I need to teach these two a lesson."

Nodding, the tall boy stepped off the court.

Duo pulled Quatre off to the side, whispering furiously. After shaking his head rapidly, the short blonde finally nodded once and Duo beamed.

Catching the two waiting boys with an evil grin, Duo grabbed the ball. "Let's play."

.-.

"I still think he should have killed you," Quatre commented. Humor glinted in his eyes as he smiled at Duo.

"Come on, Quatre," said Duo. "It's not like I was invisible the entire time. Besides, he started that speed thing again. I couldn't very well allow that now could I? I do feel kind of sorry for poor Wufei though."

Duo's smile belied his words. "Man, that was so great! I haven't done anything like that in a long time."

"You're lucky we played inside," Quatre teased. He watched the other three boys, who were playing an intense game of one-on-one-on-one. "If we'd been outside, Wufei would probably have struck you with lightening."

He laughed when Duo's eyes suddenly widened, a dumb-founded look on his face.

"I didn't even think about that," said Duo. "I just wanted to beat him and I knew we wouldn't have a chance with Heero and Trowa both. And since Wufei's powers are elemental I...didn't even think about it."

Duo smiled, flicking a glance at the game still going on. "But they sure got over it quickly. Man, this is so cool! Hey, Quatre, got another ball? We can play some one-on-one with the other hoop. What do you say?"

Quatre nodded and followed Duo across the gym.

.-.

Why had he provoked him? He didn't do things like that.

Heero sat against the wall, watching as Quatre and Duo played. Trowa had won the game and was having a rematch with Wufei.

Heero sighed.

He didn't know what had inspired him, but...it was...fun. He'd have to remember to thank Quatre. He was glad he'd asked the boy to rent the place, even though it was really an unnecessary expense.

Watching Duo, he could practically see the joy the longhaired boy radiated.

Yes, he was glad.


	7. Voyeurs and Angels

_**Part 7: Voyeurs and Angels**_

Head tilted back, Duo let the hot water from the shower roll down him. It was with a contented sight that he reached out and turned off the water.

There was nothing like a hot shower after a workout.

He ran a hand over his hair, then moved away from the shower and toward the dry side of the room where the towels hung on a rack.

Since no one could see him, he hadn't bothered to bring his clothes with him.

He grabbed one of the large towels, rubbing his hair for a moment before wrapping it around him. He was about to leave the room when a quick glance revealed a glint on the floor below the showerhead.

A hand went to his neck, then he was moving across the room quickly. Kneeling, he picked up the small silver cross from its place near the drain. For a moment he stared at the broken clasp, then he closed his fingers around it, swearing softly at how close he'd come to losing it.

It was as he stood and turned back toward the door that he saw the doorknob turn slowly and instinct kicked in. He disappeared, stepping to the side of the room so he could exit unnoticed right after the person entered.

Heero entered the room silently, cobalt eyes scanning it briefly, not pausing where Duo stood against the wall. Still near the door, he set a small pile of clothing on the bench beneath the towels.

Once more, his eyes moved over the room, and Duo held his breath, certain he knew he was there somehow. Heero abruptly looked down.

Not sure what to do, Duo stood frozen. Then Heero pulled off his tank-top.

.-.

A warm breeze ruffled Trowa's long, red-brown bangs as he stood looking out over the field.

Leave it to Quatre to find a safe-house near such a beautiful place.

Not moving his head, he let his eyes shift down to the boy lying on the grass beside him. Quatre had a small smile on his face as he lay on his back, arms folded beneath his head. He was watching clouds move across the blue sky. Then he saw Quatre's head turn a little and he snapped his eyes forward again.

"What are you thinking about?" Trowa asked softly.

When Quatre didn't answer, he turned to give him a questioning look. The boy was watching him, eyes wide with an expression Trowa didn't recognize.

"What?" asked Trowa.

Quatre's mouth twitched in a small grin. "You're very tall from down here," he said teasingly. "Why don't you sit down."

Trowa stared at him for a moment, then, with a sharp nod, sank to the grass beside him. Once seated, he turned to look at him again, doing his best not to drown in light blue-green pools.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked again.

Quatre smiled somewhat shyly, flicking his gaze back to the clouds. "I was thinking...that it's very beautiful here. So very peaceful."

He stopped, shooting a look at Trowa, who nodded for him to continue.

"It's as if the rest of the world doesn't exist. Like," he paused, looking for the right words, "like we're separated from all the bad things by more than just miles of land. I was thinking that this is what a sanctuary would be like."

A sanctuary...with an angel beside him.

Trowa's lips curved in a tiny smile for a moment before his expression became serious again.

But it was just miles of land. If he could take him someplace where the rest of the world could not follow...to a real sanctuary...

Watching him, he saw the pale blonde boy's cheeks suddenly grow pink. Blushing, Quatre sat up quickly, breaking eye contact.

"What's wrong?" asked Trowa. He frowned at the slender back that was now facing him. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Quatre said quickly. He kept his head down, not letting Trowa see his face. "I...I was just thinking something and I realized how insulting it was. I'm sorry."

"You're apologizing for an insult you haven't given yet?" Trowa asked.

His eyes widened, a small smile lighting on his face again. Before he even thought about it, he set a light hand on Quatre's shoulder, causing him to turn and look at him. Trowa removed his hand the moment their eyes met and both boys felt the loss as physical contact ended.

Quatre took a slow breath, waiting till his blush had receded.

"I was just thinking that you're very lucky," he explained. "You could fly away from here, go anywhere."

Trowa blinked in surprise and Quatre leaned towards him quickly, not wanting him to get the wrong idea.

"I wasn't trying to say that you'd run away," said Quatre, "only that you _could_ if you chose to."

He frowned as he wondered how to say it, and whether he should.

"I should be quiet," he said after much internal debate. "I'm just envious, that's all. It must be wonderful to be able to fly."

Trowa looked down for a moment, then he caught Quatre's eyes.

"Would...would you like to fly with me?" asked Trowa.

.-.

Staring at the muscled chest that was slowly being revealed as if part of an intentional striptease, and feeling his face get hot with a growing blush, Duo fumed. He couldn't seem to blink or move, so fuming was his only outlet at the moment.

Get a grip! It was just Heero. Calm down, he told himself. Look at it this way, it made for an excellent prank and he hadn't even had to instigate it.

An unseen smile graced his lips and his eyes roamed over firmly muscled abs. Then his mouth went dry when Heero bent and pulled off his shorts. Now completely naked, Heero turned to the bench and folded the clothes.

Given such a view, Duo felt his cheeks heat up again, even as his eyes moved down Heero's back to latch on to the Japanese boy's endowments.

Oh, damn...

His mouth was a desert and he swallowed roughly, watching while Heero went to stand beneath the shower.

Tilting his head back much the way Duo had moments before, Heero turned on the shower and stood in the hot spray.

Duo forced his eyes away from the rivulets of water making their way down Heero's contours, and glanced at the door. If he was going go, now was the time to do it. He stared at the door for a moment before glancing back at Heero. His eyes abruptly widened and there was no longer any question of leaving.

Being utterly careful, Duo slowly sank to the floor, leaning against the wall so he could watch without having to think about the balance necessary to stand.

This was too much.

Heero had already finished with his hair, so he had soap in hand and was busy building up a lather. Duo watched the blatantly sexual yet completely innocent display with a dark blush. His eyes refused to be torn away.

Then Heero bent to wash his legs and Duo clamped his hands over his mouth, muffling the little sound that tried to build in his throat.

He'd never seen anyone so...sexy.

Despite his reaction to the sight, Duo felt his lips move in a slow smile as he watched Heero rinse beneath the pounding spray. Heero would kill him if he knew, but there was no way in hell he'd have missed this.

Grinning widely now, Duo followed Heero with his eyes, watching the boy cross the room and pull a towel off the rack before rubbing briskly to dry himself. He couldn't help but tilt his head to better view the scene. Then Heero pulled on his clean set of clothes and toweled his hair dry. It wasn't until he turned to the door that he finally paused.

Duo's eyes widened. Heero was standing motionless before the door, and he fully expected him to whip around and pinpoint him somehow.

Heero eventually snapped back into motion and left the room without so much as a backward glance. As he walked down the hall, the door to Wufei's room opened. The black-haired boy looked out at him, an eyebrow raised, eyes narrow.

"That's the second shower you've taken today," scowled Wufei. "Did you leave any hot water for the rest of us?"

Heero turned to throw a look over his shoulder at the door to the shower room, then he smirked and shook his head at Wufei. "No. Wait an hour or two."

Still smirking, Heero went down the hallway and into his room.

Wufei rolled his eyes before retreated to his own room, making an effort not to slam the door behind him.

No one noticed when the bathroom door opened a few minutes later.


	8. Butterfly Kisses

_**Part 8: Butterfly Kisses**_

"Would you like to fly with me?" asked Trowa.

Trowa watched as Quatre's eyes widened. He couldn't let an opportunity like this pass.

"My ability to fly doesn't depend on physical strength," he said slowly.

He lifted his eyes, looking over the field as if it didn't really matter whether the boy chose to take him up on the offer or not. "My mind lets me fly, so it's really just a matter of what I can carry. If I'm strong enough to carry something comfortably, then it isn't an extra burden to fly carrying it."

He stopped, turning to look at the boy beside him.

Quatre was biting his lip, radiating eagerness and indecision. Trowa couldn't help but feel good knowing the boy dropped all guards around him.

"This place is rather secluded," Trowa said, staring into Quatre's eyes. "Might not get another chance."

Quatre released his bitten lip, a tentative smile forming. "Are you sure I wouldn't be too heavy?"

Trowa stood and reached down to help him to his feet. "Only one way to find out."

He stepped to Quatre with glinting eyes. He'd wanted to do this since the first time he saw the boy looking out a window of his base at the clear sky, completely unaware that he was being watched by someone who knew that sky firsthand.

Keeping a careful eye on Quatre, he bent slightly and picked the smaller boy up, cradling him in his arms.

"Are you ready?" asked Trowa.

Quatre couldn't help but be a bit embarrassed at being held like a child. He frowned slightly. "Are you _sure_ I'm not too heavy? Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all."

"Quatre," Trowa said, a smirk curving his lips. "I've carried loads of supplies that weighed more than you."

His smile widened when the boy blushed.

"You might want to hold on," he said, tightening his hold.

Quatre slipped his arms around his neck and his hold tightened abruptly when Trowa rose suddenly, leaving the ground below them.

Looking down at the ground, a wide smile on his lips, Quatre laughed. "Warn me before you do that!"

"I did," said Trowa. He used the height as an excuse to pull the slender boy closer to him. "I told you to hold on."

Quatre looked up at him for a moment, grinning wildly at the laughter he could see dancing in Trowa's dark green eyes.

"I guess you did," said Quatre. He glanced back at the ground before looking to Trowa again, his own eyes shining. "What are you waiting for?"

Quatre laughed, a sound of pure joy, as Trowa leveled out. He moved smoothly in a path parallel to the ground, giving the boy a view of the field below.

"Faster!" Quatre cried. He glanced at Trowa with a playful but enthusiastic smile. "Please?"

Eyes narrowing, Trowa suddenly sped up, angling toward the ground and causing the pale boy to cling closer to him. Then he abruptly changed directions, moving upward again.

He was so trusting.

Trowa stared at the radiant face inches from his own, almost unable to believe he was actually flying with the boy. It was so wonderful to hold him, to feel that warmth pressed close to him.

Quatre turned to Trowa and beamed. Then his smile slowly disappeared as he stared into those green eyes.

Why hadn't he noticed how handsome Trowa was, how deep his eyes were? The thought made his breath catch, and he blinked in surprise. The strong arms around him tightened slightly, and he was suddenly confused by the feelings running through him.

"Trowa...?"

Staring into the endless pools of Quatre's eyes, Trowa felt his resolve crumble.

He was lost...

Slowly, giving the boy he held so carefully time to pull back, he lowered his head and brushed his lips over Quatre's. When he was not met with resistance, he pulled the boy even closer until they were pressed against each other and kissed him again. He barely felt the boy's arms tighten in return, all of his focus on that soft mouth.

Neither noticed as they slowly sank toward the ground.


	9. A Mission

_**Part 9: A Mission**_

Trowa barely registered when his feet touched the ground, catching him automatically.

Breaking the kiss, he moved his head back a few inches so he could look at Quatre's flushed face. The boy's eyes were closed, mouth open as he took a shaky breath. Trowa let out a soft sigh and brushed his lips over Quatre's closed eyes, then moved so their foreheads touched, breaths mingling.

This was perfection, eternal, so perfect.

"Umm, are you guys finished?"

A voice broke the silence, causing both boys to jerk back, eyes snapping open.

"Can I turn around now?"

Turning, they saw Duo standing across the field, back to them, black cap covering his head.

Trowa's eyes narrowed in sudden anger as the moment broke back to harsh reality, but a glance at Quatre's dark blush had his anger leaving as quickly as it had come. He smiled, watching those downcast eyes as he slowly set him on his feet.

Still not meeting his gaze, Quatre started to move away and Trowa reached out to catch his hand. Quatre glanced up, his blush darkening, and Trowa squeezed his hand. The boy dropped his gaze again, glancing over at Duo, but Trowa could see a small smile turning the corners of his mouth.

"Well?" Duo called. He pointedly made sure not to look in their direction. "I guess I can come back in five minutes, but it's pretty important."

"Now's fine," Trowa called as he and Quatre walked toward the other boy. "What is it?"

Duo snuck a quick peak over his shoulder and then turned, a large grin firmly in place. His eyes went immediately to their clasped hands.

"A mission," said Duo. "About time if you ask me. Not that anyone did."

He continued as they walked back toward the path that led to the safe-house. "Heero got a message over his laptop and decided that we should attack as soon as possible. He's so bossy, he already figured out what everyone should do."

He didn't glance back as they made their way down the path, so he missed the glances the two boys were exchanging.

.-.

This was almost too easy.

Watching over the soldier's shoulder, Duo memorized the code. Then he shifted silently to press himself against the wall as the man turned and passed him on his way down the corridor.

His part was a cinch. He just hoped the others managed as easily as he had.

He checked for soldiers before moving to the panel and centering his thoughts.

_'Quatre, Trowa, if either of you can hear me, I'm about to open the door.'_

Duo typed in the code and couldn't help but smirk. As if he didn't talk to himself enough as it was.

He opened the door, flattened himself against the wall again, and waited. And he let out a relieved sigh when Trowa and Heero entered silently, glancing up and down the hall. Trowa turned to look in his direction, sensing him, then nodded his head toward the door.

_'Got it!'_ Duo thought. _'You guys get going.' _

Trowa nodded again, gesturing for Heero as he went down the hall. Duo watched them for a moment, then hit the sequence to lock the door again.

Now on to phase two.

He took off down the hall, running as quickly as he could without his steps sounding, and taking the branch opposite the one the other two boys had taken.

.-.

From the dark corner where he crouched, Heero could see three men guarding the weapons.

This was Trowa's and his part of the mission, to destroy the new weaponry which included improved guns as well as, more worrisome, paralyzing nets. OZ was stepping its war against the mutants up a notch. The nets worried Heero, and Doctor J, the most since they were proof that OZ now wanted to capture mutants - alive.

He glanced slowly around the surprisingly poorly guarded room and latched onto Trowa's figure. The other boy was flattened in the shadow of a heating duct near the ceiling.

While good guards might find Heero in his corner, even the best seldom thought to look up, especially since there was no catwalk and no way for a person to get near the ceiling - unless he was a mutant who could fly, that is.

Touching his gun with impatience, Heero watched Trowa, waiting for the signal.

The plan was simple, really. Duo would sneak to the main computer and upload the virus Heero had made, effectively destroying all the records stored there as well as the programs. Once he'd exited the base, he'd give word to either Quatre or Trowa. Quatre was outside with Wufei who was prepared to deal with any soldiers who followed Heero and Trowa during their escape. Since they were going to make a lot of noise when they blew the weapons up, they were waiting for Duo to get out first. With the programs destroyed by the virus, the locks on the doors wouldn't work, so there was no reason for Duo to wait for them.

Heero glanced at Trowa again, gripping his gun tightly as the tall boy gave the signal.

.-.

Duo ran as fast as he could away from the base, screaming in his mind for the others to do it. He knew that Wufei was hiding in the nearby forest, and he had no intention of getting caught in whatever storm that boy brought up when Heero and Trowa made their get-away.

Entering the woods, he moved to where Quatre was supposed to be, calling out in his mind for the boy and telling him who it was.

He was never going to get used to this. He wasn't telepathic; he had enough problems without that.

But he had to admit to himself, this was a much better way of communicating than vocal communication. Even if it was one-sided for him.

.-.

Wufei watched the door to the compound that Heero and Trowa were supposed to exit. Crouched at the base of a large limb in a tree tall enough to give him a view of the area in front of the compound, he watched for troop movement. If a large number was called, it was his job to stop them from getting to the base and reinforcing the soldiers facing the two boys.

Scanning the black sky, Wufei called up a thick cloud cover, readying a fog bank that would mask their escape when they got out.

When they got out, not if. He wouldn't even think of that, not with a mission as simple as this one. No, they'd planned it out too thoroughly.

Suddenly, he spotted movement near the designated door. He recognized the forms as the two boys sprinted out the door, Heero turning to fire even as he ran. Then they were clear of the door and Heero threw an arm around Trowa's shoulders, gripping him tightly as the tall boy lifted into the air, taking them into the cloud cover.

Immediately, Wufei dropped the fog bank low enough to mask their progress toward the forest even as he began to take care of the soldiers pouring out the door.

.-.

Quatre stared around him, eyes wide to increase his sight in the dark forest.

Since he'd never attacked OZ, his was not a task that required being close to the base. Instead, he'd taken position far enough away to be out of harm, and close enough to keep in easy contact.

As humbling as it was to be protected like that, he knew he would be a liability to the others if he were to go closer.

Eyes still wide, Quatre searched for Duo. He knew he was somewhere nearbly because he'd heard the boy's exuberant mental cries. He'd have to explain to him that there was no need to scream. He could hear Duo's thoughts just fine when he whispered them. It made him feel sorry for Trowa.

Quatre suddenly blushed as he thought about the tall boy and what had transpired earlier that afternoon. He hoped Trowa knew what he was doing, because he sure didn't. Suddenly a hand gripped his shoulder and it was all he could do not to scream with shock. He jolted around with wide eyes. Then he realized who it was that he didn't see.

"Duo," he sighed. "I swear you're trying to give me a heart-attack."

"Thought you heard me coming," said Duo. He appeared abruptly with a grin on his face. "Guess you were pretty deep in thought there, huh? Anything wrong? With the others?"

"No," Quatre said quickly. "Heero says he and Trowa are back at the safe-house and that we should go there as soon as possible. I was just waiting for you."

"Sorry, Quatre." Duo shook his head, chewing on his lip. "I can't leave without Wufei. Think Trowa would come get you? I'd wait."

Quatre's eyes went wide. "Oh, I forgot about him." He looked stricken. "I feel so horrible, how could I have forgotten him..."

"Don't sweat it, Quatre," Duo said lightly. He patted Quatre's shoulder knowingly. "Your mind was miles away. On a certain mutant if my guess is right."

Quatre abruptly blushed and Duo grinned.

"Call Trowa," he teased. He turned to look back the way he'd come. "And you really should work on that blush. It's very revealing."

Glaring at the boy's back, Quatre sought Heero out and thought hard about what was going on, seeking Trowa even though he knew the boy's mental block was too strong for him to read through.

A thought of Heero's confirmed the reception of the message, telling him that Trowa was on his way.

Quatre frowned slightly at the anger in Heero's mind, but abruptly forgot about it as he realized he'd be alone with Trowa again. Alone at night.

"Well," Duo said, cutting through his thoughts. "Do you sense Wufei around here anywhere?"

After concentrating, Quatre faced the boy.

"He's still blocking me out," said Quatre, "but I know he's over there somewhere."

He pointed. "I can't tell if he got my message or not, but I don't think he's moving right now. I can't pinpoint him, but I get the impression that he's taking a break. I think his power wears him out."

Duo nodded at his words. "It does. He said that's why he doesn't do missions faster, needs time to get his breath back and when he does too many missions in a short space of time, OZ gets wise and follows him. Too dangerous for him. That's why I'm going to get him. I'm sure he's fine, but there's no reason for him to make his way back on his own."

Quatre smiled. "You worry about him."

Suddenly defensive, Duo frowned.

"He's my friend," said Duo. "Look, Quatre..."

Duo wrapped an arm around Quatre's shoulders, leaning close to him. "I haven't had any friends in years. Now I do. I'm not about to let anything happen to one of you."

Eyes wide, Quatre's smile softened.

"That's right," he responded, "friends should take care of each other."

"Now you got the idea," Duo said. He turned away and took a couple of steps in the direction Quatre had pointed in. "So, I'm going to let your tall friend take care of you."

Duo paused to laugh at the return of that dark blush. "And I'm going to take care of Wufei. Heero..."

He stopped suddenly, eyes going unfocused for a minute before he smiled widely. "Well, I'm sure he'll be fine."

Duo couldn't help but wonder if he could get Heero's attention by hanging all over Wufei.

He smirked at the thought, but shook his head. No, that was a bad idea. It would be a shitty thing to do to Wufei. He was too damn sensitive.

Duo laughed at the idea of telling Wufei he was sensitive. Even if the elemental wouldn't admit it, he was rather sweet in his own way.

Seeing Quatre's questioning look, Duo waved his actions away. Then his eyes spotted something in the sky.

"Looks like he's here," said Duo. "I'm gone."

Waving to Quatre, he took off in the direction Wufei was in. But he paused for a glance back and smiled at the solemn expression on Trowa's face. They really were a little too adorable.


	10. Meetings

_**Part 10: Meetings**_

Breathing deeply, Wufei bowed his head, hands on his knees as he sat on a fallen tree. He growled his frustration as he sought to slow his breaths.

There was no excuse for this. He simply had to get stronger.

He leaned back and lifted his head, opening his eyes to scan the dark forest.

It was time for him to head back. As weak as he was, he'd managed to be useful to the others.

He was just standing when he heard a branch crack to his left.

Wufei whirled, crouching in a fighting stance, and Duo smothered a snicker. He couldn't prevent a grin when the black-haired boy saw him, those dark eyes narrowing in anger.

"Did I startle you?" asked Duo playfully.

Wufei glared.

With a soft laugh, Duo moved to him and threw an arm over the boy's shoulders, just like he had with Quatre earlier.

"Don't get mad," said Duo. "I was worried about you."

With a surprised expression, Wufei stared at him for a moment. But it wasn't long before he was glaring again. "I can take care of myself," he growled.

He wasn't quite as angry as he wanted Duo to believe. The proof was there in the fact that he didn't throw off Duo's arm.

"I know you can," said Duo. He grinned, ruffling Wufei's loose black hair and causing the boy's glare to intensify. "I just thought you could use a little company on your walk back to the safehouse. Trowa took Quatre-"

Duo stopped as a large grin spread across his face. "Man, you should have seen those two lovebirds earlier." He laughed at Wufei's surprised expression. "They're so cute together."

"Quatre and Trowa?" asked Wufei. His eyes widened as he thought about it, but he ended up closing his mouth with a sharp nod. "Yes, I guess I can see it."

"Yep." Duo moved his arm, giving Wufei a slight push on the back to get him walking in the direction of the safehouse.

"Trowa came and picked up Quatre," Duo continued, "so I figured I could walk back with you. Friends should stick together, you know."

Wufei glanced at Duo from the corner of his eye, a small smile forming on his face. "Yes."

They made their way through the forest in silence. But Duo's repeated looks soon gained Wufei's attention.

"What?" asked Wufei.

Duo smirked at having been caught, and cleared his throat. "How are you?"

Eyes narrow, Wufei stopped and turned to look at the American. "What do you mean?"

"Are you still tired?" asked Duo. At Wufei's dark frown, he gave him a light shove. "I'm serious. Why do you try to act like using your abilities doesn't wear you out? It's not as if they're easy to do."

"Must you remind me of my weakness?" Wufei demanded.

He turned sharply and stalked away, Duo running to catch up and keeping pace alongside him.

"You're so dumb," Duo scoffed. "If I run a marathon, I'm going to be out of breath afterward. It's not anything you can help. I don't understand why you insist on seeing your human part as a weakness."

"I'll get stronger," Wufei said slowly. He couldn't get angry when he could see the concern in those violet eyes. "I can't help if I see it as a weakness. That's who I am."

With a sigh, Duo nodded. "Okay. But I can't help worrying about you, either. That's who _I_ am."

Wufei smirked, not buying Duo's downcast expression. "We all have our faults."

"Egh!" Duo stretched suddenly, face lighting up as he stared at the sky. "Right, then!" He looked over at Wufei and grinned. "Enough of this depressing conversation. Let's get back to the safehouse and get something to eat. I'm starving."

"You're always starving," said Wufei. At Duo's agreeing nod, Wufei snorted. "Fine."

.-.

Quatre watched as Trowa came to stand in front of him. Suddenly he wasn't looking forward to being alone with him. Instead, he was feeling decidedly uncomfortable.

"Hi," he said shyly.

Trowa smiled. It was a small smile, barely discernible in the dark, but it made Quatre's insides melt.

"Hello," Trowa answered softly. He took a slow step closer, green eyes moving over Quatre's face. "Need a lift?"

His eyes sparkled at Quatre's surprised expression, rewarded when the blonde boy let out a soft laugh. He could feel the tension ease with that quiet sound.

"Yeah, I do," said Quatre.

Still smiling, Quatre moved to Trowa and let the boy lift him in his arms. As he wrapped his own arms around Trowa's neck, he felt his doubts return.

"Quatre." Trowa laid his cheek against Quatre's blonde hair, pressing the boy's head so it rested against his chest. "We'll talk about this when we get back to the safe-house, okay?"

Quatre lifted his head quickly, looking up at Trowa with uncertainty shining in his pale blue-green eyes.

With a small smile, Trowa brushed his lips lightly over Quatre's. Then, lifting his head to look above him, he pulled the smaller boy tight against him and waited. It wasn't until the pale boy's grip tightened in return that he lifted them into the air.

.-.

He was concerned about his comrade. There wasn't anything wrong with that.

Glaring, Heero pushed away from his laptop.

But how did he know it was just concern? He couldn't simply ask them. It would ruin the team. If they couldn't work together, their missions would suffer. He couldn't allow that. But...

Heero left his bedroom, moving down the hall and to the kitchen. With nothing better to do, he started a pot of coffee. Anything to distract him from his thoughts.

It didn't work.


	11. Aftermath

_**Part 11: Aftermath**_

"We're back...!"

Heero looked up at Duo's singsong call to see the longhaired boy posing in the doorway, a cocky grin spread across his face. Wufei stood behind him, smirking at his behavior.

"Were you worried?" asked Duo.

Heero snorted and turned back to the cup of coffee on the table in front of him.

"Where are Trowa and Quatre?" Duo prodded.

He frowned as he took the chair across from the brooding Japanese boy.

"There was something they had to talk about," Heero answered.

Heero didn't glance up, fully intent on drinking the hot liquid in his cup and ignoring everything else.

"Man, they're so cute," Duo sighed.

Heero frowned at that, his eyes flicking up to glance at Duo. The boy was grinning at Wufei, who was still standing in the doorway, and was pointing at Heero - more specifically, Duo was pointing at Heero's cup.

Propping his chin on his hands, Duo blinked his large blue-violet eyes rapidly at the Wufei. "Make me some chocolate coffee? Please?"

Wufei snorted at Duo's coy expression and glanced back at Heero. He blinked in surprise.

When had Heero developed a twitch?

The boy in question was not looking at him, however, he was glaring holes into the side of Duo's head.

Smirking, Wufei took a step toward the counter, cobalt blue eyes snapping to him. He paused to meet Heero's stare, their eyes locked.

.-.

"This doesn't have to be awkward," Trowa murmured.

He was leaning against a post on the porch, arms folded over his chest as he watched the smaller boy carefully. Quatre was sitting cross-legged on the large swing, leaning forward with his elbows resting lightly on his knees, head tilted back so he could look up at Trowa.

"No?" asked Quatre.

Trowa sighed, shoving away from the post and moving to crouch in front of the uncertain boy.

"I understand my feelings toward you perfectly," he said. "Would you like me to explain them to you?"

At Quatre's wide-eyed nod, he leaned forward, placing his hands on the pale boy's shoulders. He couldn't restrain a sigh when Quatre's hands covered his.

"I need you. When I'm near you I feel...at peace, complete. I want to hold you in my arms, to fall asleep listening to you breathe. I want to protect you. To see you happy. I think...no, I know I've been waiting my entire life to meet you."

Trowa stopped when he saw that Quatre's confusion had only increased.

"This is very sudden for you, Quatre. Don't feel bad if you don't reciprocate my feelings."

He reached a hand out to cup the boy's cheek and gave him a tender, reassuring smile.

"I...I'm confused," Quatre said slowly. "I don't understand what I'm feeling. When I think about...you, us, I feel...lost."

Trowa smiled wider and shifted so he could sit beside Quatre on the swing.

"That's how I feel when I look at you," he admitted.

"Really?"

"Yes."

Quatre caught Trowa's hand and gave him a shy smile.

"There are a couple of things that don't confuse me," he offered softly.

"And they are?" asked Trowa.

He waited patiently, stroking the top of Quatre's soft hand with his fingertips.

"I like you-a lot," said Quatre. "I...like it when we touch. When-"

Quatre blushed.

"When we kissed," he murmured, "I liked that. I want to hold you, to be held by you. I do feel connected to you. And...I want to be close to you."

Eyes glinting, Trowa leaned toward him.

"Like this?" he whispered.

Slipping his arms around the smaller boy's back, Trowa pulled him onto his lap, mouth moving down to brush his. Quatre's eyes closed immediately, his arms moving around Trowa's neck as he leaned into the embrace, lips parted. Their tongues touched tentatively.

When Trowa started to pull back, Quatre was quick to protest.

"Do we have to stop?"

Trowa stared at him for a minute, eyes blazing, and he slowly shook his head. "We can do whatever we want."

With a growing smile, Quatre moved to pull him down, only to be halted before their lips could touch.

"Why don't we go inside," said Trowa.

.-.

Wufei broke the staring contest, glancing at Duo to see how he had taken the little event. Duo was frowning, his eyes moving from Heero to Wufei.

Giving the confused boy a slight smile, Wufei moved behind the counter and mixed him a cup of the sickeningly sweet drink he'd requested. Duo had a definite sweet tooth.

Duo watched Wufei, still not sure what he'd missed. When he glanced at Heero, he found the boy staring at him with an inscrutable expression. He blinked in surprise. Since Heero was already staring and hadn't looked away, Duo took the opportunity to enjoy the sight of his intense eyes.

He almost jumped when Wufei set his mug down in front of him with a broad smirk and laughing eyes.

Duo wiped away his startled expression and sent a mocking glare up at Wufei. That gave way to a smile, which he flashed at Heero before taking a long drink of his coffee and burning his tongue.

"It's hot," Wufei warned belatedly.

That earned him another glare as he sat between Heero and Duo.

Taking a more sedate drink, Duo smiled happily.

"Pretty good, Wufei, pretty good."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, each nursing a warm drink. But it wasn't long before Duo fidgeted and sent a quick look around the room and toward the door. He sighed and turned his gaze to Heero.

"So," he said slowly. "Any plans for tomorrow?"

Heero stared at him.

"Any missions?" Duo prodded.

Heero blinked and looked down sharply.

A slow smile moved over Duo's face as he watched Heero take a drink of his now-cold coffee, stand up, and move to the counter. He was about to repeat the question when Heero finally answered.

"Not tomorrow," said Heero. "I saw a facility that has promise, we'll spend tomorrow planning our attack."

When he turned back with that same blank expression, Heero was pleased to note that this time Duo was the one who blinked in surprise.

"Heh. Guess that's my cue to head to bed," said Duo.

He flashed Heero a quick smile that didn't quite make it to his eyes and pushed away from the table. As he passed Wufei on his way to the door he paused to ruffle the boy's black hair.

"Thanks for the chocolate, Wufei. You're such a doll."

He was rewarded with a furious glare, and he smirked as he quickly exited the room.

Heero and Wufei stared at the empty doorway for a long, silent minute. Then they turned and looked at each other.

After a long moment of silence, Heero poured himself another cup of coffee and sat at the table again. Wufei watched him thoughtfully until Heero, having felt his gaze, looked up.

Heero's eyes narrowed and he raised an eyebrow, not quite glaring at the boy. "What?"

"What are you waiting for?" asked Wufei, his voice sober. "Do you really expect me to sit back while the two of you circle each other? I'm not going to wait around for one of you to make some sort of move. If you're going to do something, you had better do it fast."

There was no anger in his eyes when he looked at Heero, only dead calm. Not giving the Japanese boy time to respond, he stood and left the room.

.-.

Trowa locked his bedroom door behind them before focusing entirely on Quatre. He wrapped his arms around the boy, matching Quatre's fervor as their lips met. They barely paused for air before he bent and lifted the smaller boy, carrying him across the room to the bed.

Ensconced next to each other, they let their hands explore.

"Trowa..."

Quatre's voice reached him as he was kissing the pale boy's neck. The petulance he could swear he heard made him look up sharply.

"Take it off," Quatre murmured.

Quatre had his hands splayed over Trowa's stomach, and he was tugging the bottom of his shirt upward, glaring at the turtleneck. He didn't see any easy way to remove it without Trowa's assistance.

With a soft laugh, Trowa sat up and peeled the shirt off. A delicious sound purred in his ears as Quatre also got to his knees, hands moving over Trowa's muscular chest.

"You are so strong," Quatre whispered.

He nestled against Trowa, palms tracing the muscles outlined beneath that smooth skin.

"What about you?" asked Trowa.

"Me?"

Quatre looked up and Trowa lowered his head so they could kiss, one of his hands trailing through the boy's thick blonde hair. When he broke for air, he turned his free hand to undoing Quatre's pale shirt. The blue-eyed boy gave a shy smile and undid his cuffs. Between the two of them, they made short work of it.

Quatre blushed, ducking his head a bit. "I'm not strong."

"I like you the way you are," Trowa whispered. He spaced his words, placing soft kisses over the boy's pale chest. "I love everything about you."

Quatre let out a soft moan, his hands kneading Trowa's back as soft lips ghosted over one of his nipples. Tantalizing and teasing, it made his nerves tingle.

Trowa lifted his head so he could press his cheek to Quatre's, his breaths heavy and warm on the boy's neck. "Let me make love to you..."

Quatre nodded quickly and turned his head so their lips touched again. The kiss was a brief promise before they parted.

When they were both bare, they lay side by side, simply enjoying the contact for a moment. Then Trowa gently pushed the smaller boy onto his back, letting his eyes move over him.

"Do you know how beautiful you are?"

Quatre blushed again, but Trowa's lips silenced any denial he might have had.

"You are so perfect," Trowa whispered, placing a soft kiss on the tip of Quatre's nose.

He kissed the blonde boy's soft neck before easing his way down. Smooth skin invited his caressing hands, drawing him to Quatre's tan nipples. His fingers circled and teased until they were hard nubs he could roll between his thumb and forefinger. Then he replaced his hands with his lips, eliciting a soft cry from Quatre. The boy clutched the back of his head as if to hold him there, and Trowa nipped him lightly.

Moving slowly so he wouldn't overwhelm the boy too much, Trowa ran his hands down Quatre's stomach. He gently massaged the muscles there as he kissed his way over that silky soft skin, making his way down.

He paused when he found himself kneeling above the boy. Quatre's face was flushed and Trowa trailed the back of his hand over one pale cheek. Passionate blue-green eyes opened to meet his gaze. He held those eyes until he saw a spark in them as Quatre realized what he was about to do. With the boy watching him, he slowly lowered his head.

.-.

**NOTE:** _Part of this has been removed due to ffnet's ban on nc17 content. You can read the entire chapter at the following url, copy and paste and remove spaces:_

_www . arigatomina . com / fanfiction / crossovers / gmen / gmen-011 . html_

.-.

Time passed as they simply held each other, Quatre with one hand behind Trowa's neck and the other around his waist. Then Quatre turned, slipping off him and causing Trowa to rise on an elbow.

He couldn't help but feel bereft and vulnerable as he searched Quatre's eyes for regret.

Quatre smiled and gestured for Trowa to move so they could slip underneath the covers. When they were snuggled beneath the blankets, he curled back into his lover's arms.

"I love you," Trowa whispered, as he stared into Quatre's deep blue eyes. "You know that, don't you?"

With a teasing smile, Quatre wrapped an arm around Trowa's neck, his fingers playing in the boy's soft hair. "Is that what this is?"

At Trowa's hope-filled expression, he laughed softly, nuzzling against his neck. "Next time I'll show you my love."

"I'm never letting you go," Trowa said urgently, holding him tight.

"Good."


	12. Confidantes

_**Part 12: Confidantes**_

Damn him. Damn him for being right.

What was he waiting for? This wasn't like him - he was never indecisive. Hesitation? That didn't make sense. He didn't understand. What was wrong? What the hell was wrong with him?

With a cry of fury, Heero slammed his fist into the trunk of the tree. He gritted his teeth as skin broke and slammed the other fist into it as well. Adrenaline rushed through his system. He'd pulled his fists back in preparation for another blow when a voice sounded above him.

"If you're set on self-mutilation, could you do it somewhere else?"

Like lightening, Heero pulled his gun, aiming up into the branches of the tree above him.

There was a flash of wide, if shadowed, violet eyes before the tree was suddenly empty.

Seconds passed. Slowly, almost shaking with fury, Heero replaced his gun. His dark blue eyes gleamed as he glared up into the darkness.

"Baka!" he snarled. "I could have killed you."

Duo flashed visible again, a weak smile curving his lips.

"It may be my fate to be killed by you," he quipped. "But I figure you wouldn't have put your gun away if you were going to kill me."

"Baka," Heero repeated.

He spotted the hint of wariness in the boy's eyes, recognizing it as fading fear. That was good. If he'd scared the boy, then Duo wouldn't be doing something like that again.

"Don't take such risks," said Heero. "You're lucky you're still alive."

Duo was stretched out on his stomach on a thick limb. At Heero's words, his smile disappeared.

"I know," he said quietly. With a sigh, he buried his face in his folded arms.

"What are you doing out here?" asked Heero. "You said you were going to bed."

"No, I didn't." Duo raised his head to look down at Heero, and sighed again. "I said that was my cue to go to bed. I didn't say I was going."

He relaxed on the limb, resting his cheek against his arm as he continued to look down at the boy beneath him.

"Besides," he drawled, "I couldn't sleep."

"Why not?"

Duo's eyes widened at the question, and he let out a small, exasperated laugh. "If I knew why, then I'd be able to fix it, wouldn't I."

He smirked and shook his head, his gaze shifting over Heero's even expression.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked curiously.

For a moment Heero simply looked up at Duo with his eyes glinting in the dark. Then he smirked. "Self mutilation?"

Duo choked, staring at him in shock. "Oh-my-God! Did you just make a joke? And a good one too..."

"Arigato."

Mouth open, Duo blinked at him. "Are you okay, Heero?"

Heero smirked, enjoying the sight of Duo gaping like a fish. "Do you want something to help you sleep?" he asked.

Duo flinched, shaking his head quickly. "No. I'm fine."

He was abruptly mobile, swinging himself off the limb. He landed lightly beside Heero and shook his head at the boy. "I hate drugs."

"Even sleeping pills?" asked Heero. His brow creased as he frowned at the other boy.

"Especially those," Duo sniffed.

He made a face of distaste and turned to head back to the safe-house. Heero grabbed his wrist and he stopped, blinking back at him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Heero.

Duo looked over his shoulder in surprise. When he slowly turned to face him, confusion marred his face.

"Why do you ask?" asked Duo suspiciously.

Heero made his own expression of distaste, but forced the words out. He was tired of hesitating. This time, he'd act on his emotions.

"I..." He grimaced a little and forced himself to finish. "I'd like to know."

Duo eyed him warily, his expression guarded. After a long moment, he nodded. "Alright."

He walked back to the tree and sank slowly to the ground. Legs crossed beneath him, he leaned against the trunk. Heero followed, taking a seat beside him and turning so he could see Duo's face. hough they weren't close enough to be touching, Heero nevertheless took pleasure in their nearness - and the fact that Duo was willing to confide in him.

"This isn't pretty," Duo warned quietly.

His eyes were solemn as he took in Heero's patient expression.

"Very little is, in a war," Heero replied. "But maybe...sharing could help."

"This isn't like you."

"How much do you know about me?" Heero shot back.

Duo chuckled ruefully, not minding Heero's raised eyebrow.

"About as much as I know about Trowa," he admitted. "About as much as you know about me. But it's okay. I'm just defensive, that's all. I've never talked about this."

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," said Heero.

"No," Duo sighed, "I'm making it harder with this run-around. See, I lived in a church, Maxwell Church, for two years when I was ten. I've been an orphan for as long as I can remember, so they were my family. There were about twenty kids staying there, and Father Maxwell and Sister Hellen took care of all of us. My mutation...I don't know how you found out about yours, but mine made a very...abrupt and public arrival. I just...started disappearing. I didn't know how to control it. I guess OZ got wind of it because a guy came to the church asking questions. I should have left then."

Duo sighed, glancing at Heero's solemn expression.

"Father Maxwell knew I didn't have any place to go, and when he told me he'd taken care of things, I believed him. He said he'd convinced the investigator that there were no demons staying at his church."

Duo's eyes lit up suddenly and he smiled wryly.

"What?" Heero prompted. He couldn't help but be curious about that smile.

"He never lied," said Duo. "But I think he came close when he told them that. The other church officials used to call me Maxwell's demon. I was a rotten kid."

He looked at Heero for a minute, then he sighed and his smile faded away.

"I was still scared that they'd come back, so I started sleeping in the rafters. I know it sounds strange, but there were crawl spaces and us kids used to use them when we played. I was afraid they'd come back and get me and I didn't know how to stay invisible when I was asleep. I still have trouble with it if I wake up suddenly, but I've gotten a lot better."

Duo turned his head to look out across the yard.

"They did come back while we were sleeping, but they made sure we wouldn't wake up. I guess they put something in our food, I don't know. When I woke up they'd set the church on fire. I tried to get to the others, I really did. If I hadn't hidden... If I hadn't been so far away from them..."

Heero clenched his fists as he spotted the brightness in Duo's averted eyes and heard the strain in his voice as he trailed off.

"Duo..."

"God!" Burying his face in his hands, Duo let out a shaky, muffled breath. "Do...do you have any idea what it's like to run away while everyone you love, everyone you _know_ dies?"

He turned blurry eyes up to look at Heero.

"There were soldiers surrounding the...church. They were waiting for anyone who came out. I don't know if anyone else did. They saw me and I ran. I just ran away and left them. They died because of me."

Heero felt cornered. He didn't know what to do to help the boy hunched over beside him. All he wanted was to wrap his arms around him and make the pain go away. He did the closest thing he dared and moved an arm slowly around Duo's shoulders.

Duo looked up sharply, his wide eyes filled with unshed tears. For a moment he stared at Heero. Then he leaned over and rested his forehead against Heero's chest, letting out a long sigh when he felt arms snake around him.

They were both silent as they sat together. Nothing they might have said seemed worth breaking the comfortable silence.

Hours passed before Heero broke the stillness. He moved a hand to touch the back of Duo's neck, brushing a finger at the wisps of hair that escaped his braid.

"Let's go inside," he said quietly. "It's getting cold out here."

Duo lifted his head, blinking wide, dark eyes. "I...I don't want to be alone."

"You won't be."

.-.

Heero woke abruptly as was his habit, wide-awake in a matter of seconds. But unlike most other mornings, he didn't feel like getting up. He didn't want to move at all.

Without opening his eyes, he closed his fingers over foreign cloth, confirming his memories of the previous night. He shifted carefully and looked at the boy sleeping in his arms, as if he belonged there. And something caught his attention, on the periphery of his sight.

He stiffened and turned to look toward the living room doorway.

Wufei ignored Heero's hostile reaction, his gaze easing over Duo's face. The longhaired boy was lying on the couch, his head resting on Heero's arm.

Leaning against the doorway, Wufei slowly lifted his eyes to meet Heero's blazing gaze. He recognized the challenging claim he saw there, and it amused him. They stared at each other, yet another of those silent matches they seemed so prone toward. Then Heero tightened his grip on Duo, making the sleeping boy sigh and hide his face against Heero's neck.

Heero's eyes narrowed in reaction and he glared darker at Wufei, daring him to speak.

Wufei's gaze was locked on Duo's hand, noting how it curled, fingers clenched around a fold of Heero's green tank top. He drew in a deep, calming breath.

Straightening suddenly, Wufei met Heero's angry glare with a wide smirk. If Heero honestly couldn't see that he'd played matchmaker, then the boy was slower than he'd thought.

Wufei nodded once, then turned and went into the kitchen. Just to irritate Heero, he made sure the door shut loudly behind him.


	13. Complications

_**Part 13: Complications**_

Heero looked over Trowa and Quatre as the two boys entered the kitchen. His trained eyes took in every incriminating detail. Quatre came through the door first, blue green eyes wide and happy, a small smile playing on his lips. Heero's gaze went over his damp blonde hair to Trowa's equally damp hair.

Trowa was staring at the shorter boy and didn't glance up until Quatre sat down. Sitting beside him, he glanced around the table.

Heero met his gaze, taking in the eyebrow Trowa raised at him. With a vague nod, he left his place and moved behind the counter.

He took a baking sheet of cinnamon rolls out of the oven and transferred them to a plate. No one spoke when he returned to the table, placing the breakfast rolls in the center where all could reach them.

His gaze shifted over the others again, and paused on Duo. Heero frowned, grabbing two rolls and setting one in front of the dreary boy. Duo was nodding off again, about to fall face first onto his plate.

Duo's head snapped up when he caught scent of the roll. He blinked large, blurry violet eyes at Heero for a moment before a goofy grin crossed his face. He promptly latched onto the food.

"More coffee?" asked Wufei.

Heero turned slowly to stare at Wufei, his eyes narrow and suspicious. He didn't understand the boy. Wufei had been smirking at him since he'd gotten up. And he'd been smiling at Duo, as if they shared a secret. Why? Did Wufei really not know the progress he'd made? Didn't he realize things were going to be harder for him?

Heero didn't answer the question Wufei had asked, and he was broken from his thoughts when Wufei moved. Blinking, he frowned at the boy's smile, watching the coffee that was poured into his cup. He followed Wufei with his eyes as the boy moved around the table to stand by Duo.

Having wolfed down the roll, Duo was slowly leaning forward again, his eyes drooping. Wufei gave his braid a sharp tug, earning him a possessive glare from Heero and a startled yipe from the longhaired boy.

Looking over his shoulder, Duo glared and wrinkled his nose at Wufei's challenging expression. He sniffed and snatched up his mug, holding it out.

"You certainly make a good waitress, Wufei," Duo taunted.

He was left frowning when he couldn't get a rise out of the other boy. Wufei sat down again, and Duo glanced around the table. He hadn't really noticed when Trowa and Quatre had come in, so he smiled at them now.

"I'm not a morning person," said Duo.

"Obviously," Heero muttered without thinking.

Duo stuck his tongue out at him and grinned before downing his coffee, mindless of the heat.

.-.

"We have another mission," said Heero, "a potentially dangerous one."

Duo glanced at Heero's blank expression and sighed. "You don't beat around the bush, do you."

"No," said Heero. "I've received word that OZ has one, possibly two mutants in their possession. We are to release them if they're captive and kill them if they've joined forces with OZ."

Quatre looked around the table, his eyes wide. "But...I thought OZ refused to use mutants."

"There were nets inside the last compound," Trowa said slowly. "It's reasonable to believe they are making plans to catch mutants alive. If they have one or more already then we must act."

Heero nodded in agreement. "My information says there should be fewer guards than before, but the compound is twice as large as the last one. We have to get inside and find those mutants. It would be best if we get them out alive, willing or not."

Heero looked at Quatre, but Duo was the first to ask.

"How will we do that?" asked Duo.

"Quatre," said Heero. "If he can get close enough he can force them outside without any trouble."

Trowa's eyes narrowed immediately, but he didn't argue, obviously waiting to hear the rest.

"It would be best if they don't even know we were there until we have the mutants safely outside the compound," Heero continued. "Duo, you would go in first and find places for Quatre and the mutants to hide when guards are around. It would be up to you to let them know when the area is clear."

"And us?" asked Trowa.

Trowa stared at Heero, expression calm as if he were resigned to the danger involved. More likely, he realized that the danger was not as great as it might have been.

"Stationed near the exit," Heero answered.

Heero was relieved that Trowa wasn't going to let his emotions lead him to objecting. He was just as uncomfortable with the idea of Duo going in and Duo couldn't even be seen.

"Trowa, you will monitor Quatre and Duo. If there is any trouble the three of us," he glanced at Wufei, who nodded sharply, "will act as back-up. Hopefully we can get the mutants out and then stage an attack."

"When do I go?" asked Duo. But even as he spoke, he suspected what the answer would be.

"Originally the plan was to attack tomorrow night," Heero admitted. "But there's evidence that they plan to move the mutants tomorrow so we'll go in tonight."

"Alright," said Wufei. "Are there layouts of this base?"

Heero shook his head, and Wufei frowned. "Then there's no point in reviewing anything. Let's prepare."

.-.

"There's a girl, not far from here," said Quatre. He frowned as he concentrated, then pointed. "I think she's about twenty yards that way."

"Okay," Duo whispered back. "Wait here. I'll go find her. If she's alone, I'll come back and get you. Just monitor me. If anything happens stay here."

Quatre nodded and Duo slipped out the door of the dark storage room. Everything was going very smoothly. Moving silently, he passed the few guards unseen, stopping outside a wide set of doors that were opened to reveal an interesting scene.

A tall man with long white-blonde hair was standing in the corner of the room next to a small table covered with blueprints. Entering, Duo sidled against the wall so he could hear what was being said. There were three men in uniform standing next to the blonde man, one of which had stripes on his shoulder denoting a high rank. He had short, red-brown hair and arched, split eyebrows.

Leaning over the table, the blonde man slowly pointed to a spot on the print.

"Here," he said softly, raising pale blue eyes to the brown haired man.

"And the other one?"

Duo was about to leave when the blonde man suddenly straightened and looked around the room.

"He's here."

The three men in uniform reacted immediately. Backs to the corner, they opened fire on the room, mindless of the equipment that was riddled with bullets.

Duo didn't even have time to be surprised. He fell against the wall, slowly raising his gun as his vision blurred. He caught one of the soldiers in the chest. Then his arm fell limp and he slid to the floor in a boneless slump. Through a dim haze, he saw the brown haired man aim his weapon at him.

He'd left a smear of blood where he'd hit the wall after that first volley of bullets. Realizing that mark had given him away, Duo closed his eyes and thought desperately to Quatre.

_'Get out. Have to get out. Go. Run. I have to get out...'_

Thought of escape consumed his mind and he pictured the safe-house as another gun went off and everything went black.

.-.

As soon as he heard Duo's call, Quatre made for the door. But it was jerked open before he could reach it. He lurched to a halt, barely registering the sharp dart that struck his neck. Before he realized what had happened, he was falling into darkness.

.-.

Trowa jolted the second Quatre's thoughts vanished. "Quatre!"

Heero and Wufei flinched, turning in shock at Trowa's scream. And they froze as they caught sight of him.

Trowa's green eyes blazed in the dark of the room they hid in, a bright pulsating light that flowed down to surround his entire body. It was eerie, frightening, and inhuman.

He flew by them as if he'd forgotten they were there, hitting the door with both open palms and sending it flying back off the hinges in a green explosion. Not pausing to check for enemies, he flew down the hall.

Heero and Wufei exchanged a stunned look. Then Heero's eyes widened. "Duo."

Running together, the two boys followed Trowa's path, the occasional body marking the way. A siren was sounding and gunfire could be heard from somewhere ahead of them, spurring them on.

"What the hell happened to him!" Wufei cried as they ran, guns ready for any soldier that might have made it past the crazed boy.

"I don't know," said Heero.

He whirled to shoot the sudden outpour of soldiers through a door behind them. Holding his position in front of Wufei, he fired into the hall. He took the enemy fire as lightening shot through the walls to take care of the men his own bullets didn't reach.

Finally, they reached the eye of the storm only to find that they'd missed it. Trowa floated two feet off the ground, green fire blazing around him as he glared at a tall, blonde man. It was obviously a stand-off, since the man was standing against a wall with his hostage, Quatre, held limp in his arms.

"Please stop," the man said softly, looking at Trowa with pleading eyes. "He's all right! They just knocked him out. Check for yourself. Trowa! Calm down!"

Minutes passed as Wufei and Heero guarded the door, eyes moving over the bodies of two OZ soldiers on the floor of the room. Then Trowa sank so his feet touched the floor, the glow slowly dissipating.

"Let. Him. Go." Voice deadly, Trowa continued to glare at the man.

"Don't kill me when I do," the man said. "I'm not your enemy. And you need me." At Trowa's unmoved expression, the man slowly stepped forward. "Check my mind if you can. Kill me and your friend, Duo, will die."

Both boys at the door turned abruptly, guns trained on the man who continued to approach Trowa until he stood directly in front of him. He handed Quatre to the tall boy and turned his back on them, returning to where he'd stood when they entered the room. He knelt on the floor there, looking back at Heero and Wufei while a much calmer Trowa checked Quatre for wounds.

"Help me," the man said. "Get my sister and I out of here and I'll heal him. I know all about you, I'm his only hope."

.-.

"Hurry, he's fading fast."

Heero glared at the man and shoved past him so he could lay Duo on the bed.

"You said you'd heal him," the Japanese boy said harshly, "Do it."

"You should leave," the tall man said gently.

"No."

He stared at the irate boy for a minute, but didn't press the issue. "Don't interfere."

He turned back to the bed, moving his hands lightly over the invisible boy until he could bury his fingers in the hair on Duo's forehead. Since he couldn't see him, he relied on touch. He held the boy's head still and slapped him hard. First one cheek and then the other.

The second blow landed a breath before Heero's did. That fist connected with him, knocking him away. He shook his head groggily and looked up to see the boy advancing on him, fury blazing in dark cobalt eyes.

"Don't!" he said quickly, holding up his hands. "I have to _see_! I have to know where he's injured. I can't heal him when he's invisible like this."

Heero slowed, then turned abruptly when a soft groan sounded from the bed and Duo appeared. "Duo...?"

Drawing in a painful breath, Duo opened his eyes a crack and looked up at Heero. The boy's expression was almost desperate. That was enough to make Duo's eyes widen in sudden fear. He swallowed roughly, preparing himself, then slowly lifted his head to look at his aching body.

With a low groan, Duo let his head fall back again. His eyes closed tight after seeing so much of his own blood, and his face screwed into an expression of misery.

The blonde man laid a light hand on Heero's shoulder, giving the tense boy a sober look.

"You won't like this," he said, "but I want you to stand on his other side and hold him down. You'll need to keep him still."

Heero stared at him in obvious mistrust, but did as he was told. He moved to the other side of the bed and grasped Duo's hand in his.

Duo's eyes opened and widened as the blonde man leaned over him. He recognized him as the man he'd seen in the compound. He was just opening his mouth to warn Heero when the man suddenly drew a deep breath and, closing Duo's nostrils with one hand, pressed their lips together so he could breathe into his mouth.

Fire raced through Duo's body, igniting where the bullets had hit him. His back arched from the pain and he pushed weakly at the man's shoulder with his free hand. He was squeezing Heero's hand so hard that his fingernails cut skin.

A long minute later, the man pulled back. He gasped for breath and staggered a bit before getting his balance. Then he placed his hands over the bloody wound on the right side of Duo's chest.

Gasping from yet more of that fiery pain, Duo curled his free hand into a fist and struck the man. He was still weak from the bloodloss, but it was enough to knock him away.

With a sharp curse, the man growled for Heero to hold him down as he placed his hands on the wound again. Heero complied, and Duo struggled when he caught hold of his other hand, now holding both. The pain seemed to spread, more acid than fire now, and Duo jerked furiously at Heero's hold on him, until the man finally stepped back.

"That was the worst one. If you bind them, the others can wait until he's asleep so long as I can see the wounds."

The man turned after giving that information. Without a glance back, he moved to the door and left the room.

Heero released Duo's hands and unbuttoned the boy's blood soaked shirt, pushing it aside so he could see his chest. His eyes widened when he saw only unblemished skin.

"Heero...?"

Heero looked up sharply at the confused hurt in Duo's voice.

"It's all right. He was healing you," Heero said quickly, touching Duo's forehead.

"But...he's the one who told them where I was. He's the reason I got shot."

"What!"

"I saw him," Duo said sharply. "He told them where Quatre was."

.-.

Trowa sat on his bed, Quatre lying across his lap, head thrown back limply. Arms around the sleeping boy, Trowa hid his face against Quatre's neck, breathing deeply.

He'd lost control. What would happen if Quatre were really hurt and not just knocked unconscious? How many would he kill? He had to learn to control this. But...he couldn't lose him.

He felt a sharp tug at the hand that was clenched fiercely in Quatre's hair as the pale boy tried to move his head. Trowa let go and sat up abruptly, wide eyes moving over the boy's face.

"Quatre?"

"Hmmm..." Quatre looked up at him, blinking tiredly with a downcast expression. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "They caught me off guard."

"No," Trowa breathed, pulling him close. "It's not your fault. Just...let me hold you? Please."

"Trowa?"

"Please."

.-.

Wufei pushed away from the wall when the blonde man came out of the bedroom. He gestured for him to come into the living room and searched his face as they walked.

"How is he?" asked Wufei.

"He could heal on his own without any more help from me. The other shots went straight through. I'll let them decide if they want to let me near him again."

"What do you mean?" asked Wufei. He glanced at the door, then stared at the man with narrowed eyes. "Who are you?"

"My name is Zechs," the man said softly, moving toward the couch.

"Millardo, must you-"

Zechs glared at the girl who'd gotten off the couch, and shook his head.

"I'm not a Peacecraft anymore," he said tightly. "Remember? They didn't want a mutant in the family."

He turned his back on the girl and faced Wufei again. "My name is Zechs Marquis. I've...been watching the four of you for days now under the order of OZ."

At Wufei's growl of anger, he raised his hands.

"Please, hear me out. This," he turned and gestured to the girl by the couch, "is my sister, Relena. What I did...I did because if I hadn't they would have killed her. I know that doesn't erase the pain your friend went through, but...I did stop them from killing him. Unfortunately, Treize got away, but Duo lived. You see, Treize is the head of OZ right now and he had two objectives. The first was to kill _him_."

Zechs pointed down the hall at the closed door to Duo's room. "He believes that boy has powers that haven't shown themselves yet and OZ wants him dead."

"And the second objective?" asked Wufei.

"Quatre, of course. He can control mutants with his mind. OZ wants to use him, to have him working for them."

"You said the four of us," Wufei said suddenly.

"Yes," Zechs answered, eyes wide in awe. "I had absolutely no contact with Trowa at all. The only time I could sense him was when he lost control. Let me tell you, Wufei, that one has powers that are horrifying to the mind. It's a good thing Quatre was unconscious. I don't know if he would have been able to handle the fury that consumes that boy."

"It's strange to hear you say our names so easily. But Trowa," Wufei shook his head slowly. "He never mentioned this to us."

"No. He can't control it, that's why. He lost control of himself."

"Because of Quatre..."

"Excuse me," said Relena, "but is everyone going to ignore me all night?"

Zechs put a hand over his forehead and sighed in exasperation as Wufei turned to give the girl an incredulous look.

"After all," Relena continued, eyes wide, "I'm a victim here."

"Of course," Zechs said quickly, looking to Wufei. "Is there a place where my dear sister can get some rest? If we're still welcome that is."

Still giving the girl a strange look, Wufei nodded. "Follow me."

He led the girl to Quatre's room, since he knew the boy wouldn't be using it. He doubted Trowa was going to let him out of his sight.

"You can sleep here," said Wufei.

The girl's gracious thanks made him suspicious for some reason, and he frowned as she entered the room. "Don't touch anything."

Wufei arrived in the living room at the same time as Heero.

"Finish healing him," said Heero, "then we talk."

It was not a request. Zechs nodded and entered the bedroom. As he followed the tall man, Heero paused to look at Wufei.

Duo watched as Zechs entered the room, still eyeing the man warily. He let out a silent sigh of relief when Heero joined them, and his eyes lit up when he spotted Wufei.

At Heero's nod, Zechs began healing the more minor wounds Duo'd sustained.

"How are you?" Wufei asked quietly as he touched Duo's hand lightly, Heero watching from his post against the wall.

With a soft laugh, Duo grinned and grimaced at the dark haired boy, making a face at the burning sensation that accompanied the healing. "I've been better."

With a pointed look toward the man leaning over him, Duo raised an eyebrow at Wufei.

"This is Zechs," said Wufei. "Don't worry about him."

Duo wanted to argue about that quick dismissal, but something else sprang to mind. His eyes widened. "Quatre! Is he all right?"

"Fine," Wufei said quickly. "You'll get a recap of everything in the morning."

.-.

"What powers does OZ, or this man Treize, think Duo has?" asked Wufei.

Heero had been debriefed and had gone to move Duo into his room since his bed didn't have bloodstains on it. At least, that was the reason he'd given. Duo had already passed out from exhaustion.

"Did he tell you about the church he lived in?" asked Zechs.

At Wufei's frown, he told him about the Maxwell Church massacre.

"Your friend was the only survivor. They even have footage of the massacre. That's what clued Treize in. Duo doesn't seem to remember, but there was no way he could have gotten out of that church. OZ nailed the doors shut and guarded the entire perimeter. There's film of Duo appearing outside the church and then disappearing mid-run as he escaped. But no one can figure out how he got through the door. Treize thinks he either walked through it or transported himself to the outside."

"Maybe he just found a way out," Wufei said, scowling.

"I don't know," Zechs warned, "but Treize considers him a major threat. Duo's at the top of his list of mutants to eliminate."

"Which explains whey they've been so determined to catch him."

Wufei glared, then looked at Zechs, who was sitting on the couch. "And now this man wants Quatre."

"At least he wants Quatre alive."

"Well," said Wufei, "it looks like we have a new target. It's late and you're too tall for the couch. You can sleep in my room."

Without checking to see if he agreed, Wufei opened the door to his room only to find Zechs staring at him, pale blue eyes wide. Wufei smirked and looked him in the eyes, slowly looking down then back up again before raising an eyebrow at the man's stricken expression.

"I," he said slowly, "will be sleeping on the couch."


	14. Late Night

_**Part 14: Late Night**_

"Heero?"

Heero opened his eyes and moved back a bit to look down at the boy who was using his chest as a pillow. "I thought you were asleep."

"Mmm. Heero?" Duo whispered, not looking up. "I came really close to dying today..."

Overwhelmed by the angry possessiveness that surged in him, Heero growled and pulled the boy closer.

"You didn't," he said sharply. "You're fine now."

"I know...but I came really close."

With a sigh, Heero wondered what he should say. They couldn't stage attacks without being aware of the risk. It was something they all might face at one time or another.

He felt lips move over his chest and was broken from his thoughts, his body freezing.

"Duo...?"

He pushed the boy back and stared at him in surprise.

Duo frowned, wrapping an arm around Heero's neck.

"Come on, Heero," he murmured. "We could both die tomorrow...why are we acting like we don't want each other?"

Eyes wide, Heero shook his head. "I don't know."

"Do you want me?" Duo asked, frowning in frustration. At Heero's sharp nod, he let out an exasperated breath. "Then what's the problem? What are we waiting for?"

He didn't have the patience to wait for Heero to recover from his shock. Duo leaned forward and kissed him, giving a sound of approval when Heero's arms tightened around him. He closed his eyes and let his emotions, not to mention raging teenage hormones, guide him.

.-.

Quatre made a tentative effort to move back and sighed when Trowa immediately tightened his grip. Although he loved being in the tall boy's arms, he was getting very frustrated that Trowa wouldn't talk to him.

He still had no idea what had happened to the others and he really didn't want to intrude in their minds when Trowa could very easily tell him. He had checked to make sure they were all in the safe-house, but this had led him to discovering the presence of two strangers as well. And he couldn't ask about them because Trowa didn't want to talk. He knew that Trowa was extremely upset, but he was getting a little annoyed himself.

"Trowa," Quatre said drolly, "I can't breathe."

He was released abruptly, and his eyes widened in shocked disbelief. Then he started to laugh.

"You mean that's all I had to say?" he asked as he tried to stop laughing.

Trowa's dark, concerned eyes helped him sober up quickly.

"Okay," said Quatre. "Now that I've got your attention, why don't you explain what that was all about?"

He saw Trowa's hands twitch and scooted back quickly before he could be grabbed again. There really was such a thing as too much glomping.

"Oh, no you don't!" he cried as he got out of grabbing distance. "You're going to talk to me now."

Trowa folded his arms over his chest and frowned at him for a long moment. Then he sighed. "I don't want to talk right now..."

His eyes were clouded with a pain that Quatre couldn't decipher.

"I...Quatre, I have something I need to tell you. But I'm...afraid that if I do it will change things between us. That's why I want to hold you now. Because after I tell you...I might not get to again."

"Trowa? You can tell me. Anything. You know that, don't you? What could be so bad that it would make me leave you? I _love_ you."

Shaking his head, Quatre slowly inched toward him, ready to bolt if the green-eyed boy made a move in his direction. As much as he loved him, he wanted answers and he knew he wouldn't get them if he was caught again.

"Trowa, I know you can read my mind so you have to know that I'm absolutely certain nothing you could say will change my feelings toward you. However," he warned, "if you don't start talking to me real soon - like five minutes ago - I'm going to go sleep on the couch."

"No you're not!" Trowa cried angrily.

His eyes widened in outrage and he leapt across the bed. Grabbing the smaller boy, he held him tight as if he were going to struggle. As it was, Quatre was much too shocked to move, let alone try to struggle.

"Trowa! What's wrong with you?"

Fury blazing in his green eyes, Trowa slowly loosened his grip a bit.

"Wufei's sleeping on the couch," he said coldly, "and you're sure as hell not sleeping with him."

"Oh!" Blushing bright red, Quatre quickly shook his head at the angry boy. "I didn't know! Really. I wasn't saying I was going to...I didn't realize he was on the couch."

As Trowa calmed himself, he loosened his grip even more.

"I'm sorry, Quatre," he said softly. He exhaled roughly, finally releasing the boy completely from his former deathgrip. He moved back until he could lean against the headboard of his bed. "I...I'll tell you. You deserve to know, especially since it's obvious I haven't gained full control over my emotions yet."

Trowa stared into Quatre's wide eyes and willed himself to be calm. Quatre was right there, safe. Sweet and gentle and he was scaring him.

He motioned for the smaller boy to sit beside him, waiting and wondering if he would. He really had been out of control. When Quatre finally moved beside him, Trowa let out a soft sigh and dropped his gaze. By the time he allowed himself meet the boy's wide eyes, Trowa's expression was solemn and much calmer.

"I've known you for longer than you know," he said slowly, nodding at Quatre's confusion. "I first sensed you over a year ago when I was passing your base on my way back from a mission. Quatre, there's something about you that calms me..."

He stopped and shook his head, deciding to take a different approach. "Flying isn't my only ability."

Quatre was still struggling to get over the fact that Trowa had known him a year ago. He frowned in confusion.

"What else do you have?" he asked. "Why didn't you tell me you'd met me, Trowa? Why the secrets? Is it really that bad?"

"Yes," said Trowa. "There is something in me, a fire or something. When I feel emotions I feel them completely. It's overwhelming and powerful, Quatre, and when I first sensed you...that was the first time I was able to control it, my rage. Just being near you enabled me to build the wall between me and the fire."

He stopped, taken aback by Quatre's steady gaze. "You don't seem to be taking this badly. I don't think you realize. Quatre, I've been following you for the last year. Except for missions, I stayed where I could sense you, where I could feel your...peace. And as strange as that is, it isn't what I was afraid to tell you. You are sensitive, Quatre, fragile..."

Quatre frowned and started to shake his head, but Trowa stopped him, reaching out to grasp his chin lightly.

"In here," said Trowa, laying the fingertips of one hand on the boy's pale temple. "You feel deeply, and you don't know how to block other people's emotions out. That's what scares me. The knowledge that my fury could hurt you. Destroy you."

"You wouldn't hurt me," Quatre protested. His eyes narrowed and he interrupted whatever Trowa had started to say. "Even if your...fury - and I still don't understand what that is - even if it did get out... Do you really believe you wouldn't be able to control it? You said that you stayed near me because I helped you keep a rein on your emotions. Then why would you loose control?"

Quatre held up a hand to forestall Trowa as he sorted out what he was trying to say. "Okay. You're afraid you'll lose control and the force of your anger will hurt me, right?"

Trowa nodded and he shook his head at the pain in those green eyes.

"Don't you see?" asked Quatre. "If I helped you control it before it got out, wouldn't I be able to help you once it's loose? Especially if I were prepared? You said I was fragile. Whose mind isn't fragile if something they aren't prepared for attacks? I'm sorry, Trowa, but I think that if you knew that your anger was hurting me, you'd control it immediately. I don't believe you'd hurt me."

"I wouldn't!" Trowa cried, trying to get the boy to understand. "Not on purpose! But when I lose control I can't even think. Whatever emotion I'm feeling runs rampant and I can barely control my actions. How could I control my thoughts if I can't control my actions?"

He dropped his eyes, his hands curling into fists. "I have to learn to control this by myself. When you were knocked out, I ...I went berserk. I didn't care about anything but getting to you. Don't you see? I'm becoming dependent, even more now that you're mine."

Quatre blinked in surprise at how nice it was to hear him say that, and had to center his thoughts quickly.

"So what do you plan to do?" asked Quatre. "I mean, if the only time you lose control is when you're cut off from me then how could I get hurt? If I'm not there then how could I be affected by your anger? Trowa, I don't think you're giving this enough thought. You're not being rational."

"No, I'm not," Trowa agreed, still not meeting his eyes. "I can't be rational when I'm faced with the prospect of leaving and not seeing you. I can't be rational."

"Leave! Why?" Pain soared through him and Quatre grabbed the taller boy's shoulder, pulling his head up so their eyes met. "Why would you leave me?"

"Because I have to learn control and that means letting down my guard, the wall I keep between myself and the fury. I can't do that where it could hurt you. I won't."

Though Quatre was still shaken, he straightened with suspicion. His eyes narrowed as he met Trowa's hurt gaze.

"And exactly how do you plan to go to a place where I won't sense you?" Quatre asked angrily. "Now that I know I'll be able to sense you with your wall down, there's nothing to stop me from searching you out no matter how far you go. Don't you get it, Trowa? I'm not going to let you run away from me because you don't want me hurt. And if you try, then realize it's just going to hurt me even more because I'll be waiting for you to let down that wall, and the moment you do, I'll be there."

Trowa's eyes widened as he read the conviction in the boy's mind, and Quatre nodded sharply.

"You've had me there for a year, Trowa, but I just found you. And I won't let you go so easily."

.-.

Heero's mind warred with his body as he and Duo kissed. This was what he'd wanted since the first time he'd touched the beautiful boy, yet a part of him was yelling at him to stop.

At first he ignored it, tilting his head as he explored Duo's hot mouth, driven by the boy's tongue and the small muffled sounds he made. Then his mind switched from urgent yelling to screaming and he slowly separated from the other boy, meeting his passion-glazed eyes with a reluctant gaze.

The loss of Heero's mouth was not immediately realized. Not until he opened his eyes and saw that they were no longer joined. Blinking in rising confusion, Duo frowned.

"What?" he asked. His breaths came fast and he barely restrained himself from pulling the Japanese boy back to him.

"You're recovering from the shock of almost having died," Heero said slowly, his voice slightly strained from holding in his own lust. "You're not thinking clearly and I won't have you hating me or yourself in the morning."

Duo rolled his eyes and let out a frustrated groan.

"I'm not going to hate anyone in the morning," he muttered. "In fact, if you hadn't stopped I'm sure I would have been very _happy_ come morning. What's the real problem, Heero? Is it you? Are you having doubts about wanting me?"

Hurt tried to consume him at that possibility, and Duo hid it behind a glare.

"If that's it then tell me now," said Duo. "Don't try to spare my feelings by acting like _I'm_ the one with doubts, because I know what I want."

"Nothing like that," Heero said, shaking his head. "You had a shock and I don't want to take advantage of you." He saw Duo roll his eyes again and sighed. "And I had a shock as well. As you said, you almost died and there is nothing I'd like more than to have you right now."

Duo's eyes shone, and he grinned at his words, not the least bit upset when Heero put a restraining hand on his chest to keep him from moving closer.

"But," said Heero, "I'm not going to let some crisis ruin my chances with you."

Duo's grin turned into a smirk and he dropped his eyes.

"Well, that's really too bad," he drawled, "because I happen to think a crisis is the perfect excuse to get rid of pesky pleasantries and get down to what we really want."

He looked up sharply and closed a hand around Heero's wrist. "And if you don't want to take advantage of this crisis then I'll have no choice but to take drastic measures."

Heero's brows drew together, but he didn't resist when Duo climbed off the bed, tugging on his hand until he got to his feet. He looked at the longhaired boy in confusion, not voicing his questions only because Duo had opened the bedroom door and he didn't want to wake anyone up.

Though he wasn't sure if he wanted to know what Duo was planning, Heero nevertheless followed him. They moved silently down the hall and stopped at the door to the shower room.

Duo opened the door and pushed Heero inside. He quickly locked it behind him before Heero managed to get the lights on.

"I may not know much about seduction," Duo said with a smirk, "But I do know something that will help you get rid of your inhibitions. I learned it from you."

Heero's eyes narrowed and Duo continued with a cheeky grin.

"You're sexy as hell when you shower."

Heero threw away his reservations with a slow growing smirk. He stepped toward Duo, closing the distance between them.

"I thought you'd like that," he said, voice low.

Duo's eyes widened as he saw Heero's smirk and the words registered in his head. Then he let out a soft oath and grinned.

"You mean you _knew_?" Duo demanded. "You knew I was there the whole time..."

Duo shook his head with a mock glare.

"You shouldn't take such risks," he warned, "I came very close to jumping you."

"I was hoping you would," Heero smirked.

Duo's heart sped up as he saw Heero pull his shirt over his head. He quickly undid his own, tossing it onto the bench with Heero's. He glanced back to the dark-haired boy and frowned. Heero had sat down on the bench and was watching him, arms folded over his chest, one eyebrow raised. At Duo's confused look, he smirked.

"What are you waiting for?" Heero goaded, "You watched me. It's my turn."

Blushing, Duo silently cursed his embarrassment. Then his eyes narrowed. He could be just as sexy as Heero if not more so. Determined to put on a very good show, he smiled a sultry smile and, reaching behind his back, pulled his braid over his shoulder. He caught and held Heero's eyes as he slowly pulled off his hair tie and started to unbraid his hair, turning his back to the boy when he reached the hair at the base of his neck.

Heero's breath caught as he watched Duo's long fall of hair loosen, his eyes following the unraveling from the tips up to the back of the boy's head. Then he let his eyes move down again as he admired the golden-brown hair, hands clenched to his arms to keep them from moving in response to his desire to run his hands through the shining mass.

Duo tossed a coy look over his shoulders, smirked, and, his back still turned, undid his pants and slowly pushed them down.


	15. The Only One

_**Part 15: The Only One**_

With a resentful glare at the closed shower room, Wufei let out a silent groan. As happy as he was that the two boys were together, clearly intent on consumating their relationship, he knew he'd never be able to sleep on the couch with the two of them in _there_. Who picked a shower room over a perfectly nice bedroom, anyway? It echoed horribly in there.

Quatre and Trowa were quiet lovers, but that was to be expected. Duo on the other hand, he was always loud. Wufei could just imagine how loud he'd be during sex. Not that he _wanted_ to imagine it...

Images sprang to mind and brought a sudden flush to Wufei's face. Glaring daggers at the closed door, he sprang off the couch. He made a quick bee-line for the back door. It wouldn't be the first night he'd spent outdoors, and it was much too...hot...inside. The cool outdoors would be a welcome change.

.-.

"If you love me, you should have more faith in me."

Trowa shook his head slowly, almost dazed by Quatre's sad expression. "I do," he said urgently. "I do have faith in you, Quatre."

He moved closer to Quatre and stroked a soft hand over his pale cheek. "It's not you, Quatre. It's my own strength that I doubt. Not you."

Trowa moved his arms around him and Quatre leaned into the embrace. He ran his hands lightly over Trowa's chest.

"Your strength," Quatre said softly. "You are strong."

He leaned forward and placed soft kisses on Trowa's jaw and neck, punctuating his words. Trowa let out a soft cry and tightened the hug.

Quatre pulled back in surprise. "Trowa?"

"Quatre..."

Green eyes met pale blue green, and Quatre's eyes widened at the blatant need he saw in his lover's gaze.

"Please, Quatre, I need you. If you're my strength, I won't have doubts."

"I'm not strong," Quatre protested, unable to accept the responsibility Trowa implied. "Not _that_ strong."

"But you are," Trowa said fervently. He ran the fingers of one hand through Quatre's thick blonde hair. "Strong enough to reach me. And I've never let anyone in before. Just you, Quatre."

Quatre's eyes shone as he leaned into that tight embrace. He brushed Trowa's long fall of reddish brown bangs aside so he could place a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"Never, Trowa?" he whispered. He continued to bestow light kisses on the boy. Trowa tried to turn his head so their lips would meet and he quickly pulled away. "Am I the only one to kiss you like this? To care for you this much?"

"Yes," said Trowa. "You're the only one I've ever wanted. Loved."

"Needed...?"

"Yes!" Trowa said urgently, devouring Quatre with his eyes.

"Good."

Quatre's hands slipped behind Trowa's head and he pulled him close, finally allowing their lips to meet. He kissed him passionately, faintly surprised at his own intensity. Somehow the sight of Trowa so vulnerable made his heart surge with an instinct to protect him. To be strong for him. And he could be as long as Trowa needed him. Just the thought of how he might have woken up one day and found Trowa gone filled him with an instinct to make Trowa need him so much he'd never dream of disappearing. Because Quatre needed him, too.

He held Trowa tightly, his head ducked close to the boy's ear. "Don't ever leave me, Trowa. That would tear me apart. You need me whole and I need you here. Don't ever leave me."

"I wouldn't want to..." Trowa whispered.

"Then don't. Hold onto me. Stay with me and I'll love you forever."

.-.

Heero stood with his hands clenched at his sides. His eyes were roving over the glimpses of pale skin showing through Duo's long, thick, hair. He was holding back, stilling himself for Duo to turn. Then he saw Duo's head duck a little, and he blinked in surprise. He was hesitating? Had he changed his mind?

"What's wrong?" asked Heero.

"How did you manage?" Duo asked with forced humor, not looking over his shoulder at the boy. "This is so embarrassing. I didn't think it would be so...difficult."

Duo was embarrassed? Now? The very idea was almost enough to make Heero snort in disbelief. He'd never have expected that. He crossed to Duo and stepped around to stand in front of him. Duo was blushing furiously and he averted his head when Heero looked over him. Heero took the moment to finish undressing. Then he went back to watching the blood rush up to color Duo's cheeks a becoming pink.

For all his boldness when it came to flirting, Duo had absolutely no experience. He'd been isolated since childhood. An active imagination could only prepare a person so well. He couldn't remember ever having been seen naked. There was a horrible sense of vulnerability that went along with it, as if he had somehow shed his self-confidence along with his clothing. It reminded him of how cornered he'd felt when he woke up in that cave to find himself visible for the first time in years. He could feel the eyes on him and he had trouble remembering that it was Heero. That he wanted Heero to look at him.

An arm slipped around Duo's waist, a gentle hand cupping his cheek. Duo turned his head, not quite leaning into the touch. Heero was looking at him with such a soft expression on his face, an impossibly knowing look. It told him that Heero wanted him and that he would wait despite that. It reminded him that it was his idea to do this now, and that Heero was more than willing to simply hold him for the rest of the night. If Duo hadn't been blushing, he might have laughed at the situation. He'd conned Heero into doing this now, and here he was the one hesitating.

Closing his eyes, Duo wrapped his arms around Heero and kissed him softly. Then he kissed him deeper, promising that the silly hesitation was over and that he was still every bit as eager as he'd been a few minutes ago. It was almost too easy to forget how uneasy he was at being naked and visible. All he had to do was focus on the kiss and how good Heero's tongue felt against his.

Heero pushed into the kiss, one hand burying itself in that gorgeous hair he'd lusted after for so long. Duo hummed against his mouth, smiling, and pulling closer till their bodies touched. Their lips parted for much needed air, and Heero moved his mouth down, kissing his way to Duo's neck. He tasted him in soft flicks that made Duo's eyes close. Duo's hands flexed against his back and he made that soft sound again, a sigh that was almost a pur.

Moving subtly, a small bit at a time, Heero slowly backed Duo toward the wall. He'd expected Duo to take charge. It was faintly alarming how pleasant the thought of that was to him. He had been prepared to let Duo do whatever he wanted. Because he knew Duo wouldn't abuse that. He hadn't expected Duo to have the same trust in him. Maybe he should have. He knew Duo's past, so he should have realized Duo wasn't any more experienced than he was. That was comforting, and strangely enough, Duo's trust in him was as arrousing as the sight of him with his hair blanketing his body.

Duo was so lost in the sensations Heero's hot mouth was bringing to his neck, that he didn't realize they were moving until he felt the cold wall against his back. He flinched in surprise, his eyes flicking open to meet Heero's thoughtful gaze. Heero reached over his shoulder to touch the wall and frowned.

"Heero?"

With a shake of his head, Heero pulled Duo away from the wall and into his arms. He kissed him for a moment. Then he turned so his own back was to the wall. He pulled Duo's hands up so he could brace himself on the wall, leaning on it without being flush against it. A faint smile and a blush told him Duo understood why he'd repositioned them. Heero kissed him again and tilted his head so his lips brushed Duo's ear.

"You taste good," Heero whispered thickly. He gave Duo's earlobe a teasing tug with his teeth. "Makes me want more."

A wry smile made it to Duo's face. He ducked his head and nipped at Heero's exposed neck. Heero rewarded him with a smirk and bent down to lap at his chest. Duo's eyes widened and he gasped. Heero had taken one of his nipples into his mouth, warm tongue causing it to harden. Duo licked his lips with pleasure and leaned heavily against the wall. Warm hands were massaging his sides and making his heart speed up with anticipation. He looked down and blinked in surprise. Heero's midnight eyes glinted with a genuine, if wicked smile. Heero abuptly dropped to his knees and, without preamble, took his hard length into his mouth. Duo let out a choked cry.

.-.

**NOTE:** _Part of this has been removed due to ffnet's ban on nc17 content. You can read the entire chapter at the following url, copy and paste and remove spaces:_

www . arigatomina . com / fanfiction / crossovers / gmen / gmen-015 . html

.-.

Heero pulled Duo into his arms for a satiated embrace. They stumbled toward the bench where they'd left their clothing. Even supporting each other, they were too tired to bother going back so soon. Heero jerked a towel off the rack and spread it quickly on the cool floor so they could lie on it till they caught their breath. Duo followed without complaint. With a satisfied sigh, Heero pulled Duo close and simply lay, boneless, staring at his beautiful lover. Duo gave a sigh of his own, violet eyes soft as a small smile curved his lips. He wrapped his arms around Heero's waist and nuzzled against his neck. One soft, happy, kiss before he closed his eyes and simply enjoyed the sensation of being in Heero's arms.


	16. One More

_**Part 16: One More**_

He'd never understand his own heart. Why had he let him go so easily? It was true that Duo was the first true friend he'd ever had, but he was also a very attractive boy. He could tell himself that he never had a chance with Heero as competition, especially since there was obvious chemistry between the two of them. He could tell himself that, but it wasn't enough. He hadn't even tried. Hell, he'd pushed them together by provoking Heero like that. It was as if he wanted to be alone...

With a long sigh, Wufei leaned back on the steps and stared broodily up at the stars.

It wasn't as cold as he'd thought it would be, and he was glad he'd gone outside. It was very peaceful and he'd always been more comfortable alone, away from people. As much as he enjoyed the others' company, and he did, he hadn't realized how much he'd missed just sitting alone beneath the stars.

He did like to be alone, but not forever. He wanted someone with him, just not Duo. Maybe he'd known Duo had his heart set on Heero, though God knew why he would. Or maybe he hadn't wanted to ruin their friendship. He'd have liked to use that excuse, but it sounded flat, even to him. He just didn't know. Maybe the fact that Duo was so close to everyone had turned him away. He wanted someone who would...see him. Just him. He didn't want someone he'd have to be jealous of every time another man looked at him.

Wufei thought of the way Heero had glared at him when he'd looked at Duo, and he gave a slow nod. He'd probably be like that, too, if he had someone as beautiful as Duo. He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. Minutes passed. Then he jerked abruptly as he realized he'd almost fallen asleep. Not on the steps. He wasn't about to fall asleep on the steps. He stood and stretched slowly, sending a sullen look at the door. Were they done? Damn it, he wanted his bed back...

A glare was firmly locked on his face as he opened the door silently. He paused, listening for any suspicious sounds. He didn't hear anything. He entered with a relieved sigh and bolted the door behind him. The couch was just long enough for him to stretch out on it. He still eyed it with distaste. He could always use Duo's bed. He really doubted Duo would be using it tonight. He considered that for all of twenty seconds before he remembered the mess in Duo's room. He disgarded the idea and sat on the couch with a resigned sigh.

.-.

Duo was in a bright mood when he looked around the table the next morning. He nodded to the strange girl, who'd moved to sit next to the tall blonde man. Zechs, he remembered Wufei calling him. And she had to be the girl Quatre had sensed in the base, before everything went wrong.

"So where do we start?" asked Duo.

"I believe introductions are in order," the girl said lightly, turning to look at Zechs.

"Zechs Marquise," he said softly, nodding to Quatre before turning to tilt his head toward his sister. "And this is Relena Peacecraft."

Relena smiled at the five boys, nodding as each gave his name. She was about to say something when Duo interrupted with an apologetic grin.

"That's not what I meant," said Duo. "It's nice to know who everyone is, but I was hoping to hear what happened last night. I don't know about you," he said to Quatre, before glaring at Wufei, "but I was told I'd get a recap in the morning." Pinning the Chinese boy with his expectant gaze, he smiled suddenly, belying his pretense at anger. "Well, it's morning."

"Breakfast first," said Heero.

Duo turned to give Heero a glaring pout, but sighed as he took in the boy's calm, steadfast expression. "Can't we talk and eat at the same time? After all," his eyes lit up, "It _would_ be a more efficient use of our time."

Heero wasn't buying that for a second. His eyes narrowed. "No. We'd talk while you ate."

He dropped his gaze to his plate and took a bite of food. The conversation-slash-argument was over just like that. Or it should have been. Relena cleared her throat and Heero's eyes snapped up.

Before she could get a word out, Duo interrupted again. "How come it's okay for her to ask questions but not me? That's hardly fair."

Silence reigned as all eyes moved to Duo, then Heero groaned audibly, a hand going to his forehead as he resisted the urge to bang his head on the table.

"Fine," said Heero, not looking up as he slowly resumed eating. "Ask what you want, but I'm not answering anything until I've eaten."

.-.

"Do they always argue like that?" asked Relena.

Wufei glanced at her and smirked. "Worse. This isn't bad, as early as it is." He turned to include Zechs in his warning, "Duo is _not_ a morning person."

"Even so," Relena frowned, "that's no excuse for such immature behavior."

Wufei gave the girl an irritated look. Why had she followed him outside, anyway? He wasn't sure what it was, but something about her rankled him. Then again, he'd never been fond of the 'weaker sex'. Deciding to ignore her, he looked at Zechs, who was leaning against the post beside where he sat on the steps. Him he liked, though again, he couldn't say why since the man was a bit too passive for his standards. Wufei fought a smile as he remembered the man's hasty retreat when he'd woken up in time to catch Zechs staring at him. As if he'd actually sleep through that. Zechs must not have read his mind or he'd have known he was awake the entire time. Watching him while he slept, huh? It looked like he had it bad.

Zechs blinked and raised an eyebrow. Wufei smiled a little and turned to look through the open screen door.

"I'd say things have calmed down enough for intelligent conversation now," said Wufei. He didn't care if the girl came in or not, but Duo needed to hear what Zechs had told him. "Hope you weren't planning on running off just yet."

"Actually," said Zechs, "that's something I wanted to discuss with you before we rejoin the others."

Wufei gave him a questioning look, but Zechs didn't explain immediately. He turned to his sister. "Would you mind giving us some privacy, Relena?"

Relena stood up with a frown, but made no move to go inside. "Whether or not we stay here has as much to do with me as it does with you. You have no right to decide such a thing without me."

Wufei sent her another of those annoyed looks, and Zechs' eyes narrowed as he gripped his patience tightly.

"I am not your guardian, Relena," said Zechs. "The only thing that holds me to you is blood. As it is, I fully intend to see you back in Sanq Kingdom before I go on my own, so the discussion does _not_ involve you. Now please, let us speak in private."

Relena blinked for a moment, looking hurt by the cold words. Then she turned and quickly entered the house. Zechs sighed. He shook his head at Wufei and took the seat his sister had abandoned.

"She's a princess," Zechs explained, "and she's used to being treated as one. I never knew she would be spoiled so badly when I left home, or I might have tried to stop it from happening."

"Why do you put up with her?" asked Wufei. "Especially since she's a weakness to you." Zechs looked at him in surprise, and Wufei nodded, scowled at the door. "Oz used her against you. It's obvious that she's a weakness."

"She is," Zechs said slowly, glancing over the yard. "But if you had seen her six years ago, you'd understand. She was such a sweet, inquisitive child, so peaceful and caring in nature. Those traits haven't actually changed, they've just been buried under her snobbish behavior. I guess it's the memory that makes me care, makes me want to protect her."

Although Wufei didn't particularly want to hear excuses for the irritating girl's behavior, he nevertheless found himself feeling sympathetic towards the man beside him. "So long as you know your weakness, you can keep it from being used against you. Don't make the same mistake twice."

"No," sighed Zechs. He looked at the solemn boy beside him. Wufei's black eyes were wide with wisdom beyond his age. "But that isn't what I wanted to discuss. I'm in awe of the five of you. I'm sure you can guess what I want to ask."

Obviously he wanted to join them. Wufei smirked. "I would say yes just for the chance to have a healer in the group, but it isn't my decision. We've...rallied behind Heero. Either get a majority in your favor, or convince him. It's that simple."

Zechs folded his arms over his chest with a frown. That was something that had been bothering him before he even met them. "Why him? Although I'd rather not remind you of my crimes against you, I've looked into your minds. What I've seen tells me that Quatre is the best strategist, not Heero."

Wufei reacted as if he'd been stung, jerking away before leaning forward. "Are you certain of this? Quatre has never fought, he knows nothing about actual battles."

"You're wrong," Zechs said, shaking his head slowly. "I'm not sure why he never mentioned it, or why Heero didn't think to look into his history, but that boy has been leading troops for years. True, he did it from a distance, but he was the guiding force of his army in many battles."

"His army?"

"Maguanacs, I think he calls them. Since his father died, they have been his family, until now of course. Though I've never heard of them myself, Quatre has great self-confidence when he thinks about them. It seems they never questioned his orders when it came to battle strategy. He has a very keen mind."

"I don't doubt his mind," Wufei said in his defense, "it's just that Quatre...he isn't the type to hold things back. I don't understand why he would keep such skills a secret."

"I thought it was because of Heero," said Zechs, "but having had a glimpse of Trowa's mind, I know it's him. Mainly Trowa, but yes, it's also the rest of you. Quatre doesn't see himself as a member of the...team. He...thinks he's a weak joint. As I said, when he remembers his soldiers, he is extremely confident, but comparing himself to the four of you has crushed that. He's unsure."

"You saw all of this? But Trowa has the ability to read minds, too. Surely he would have sensed this."

"I imagine he has," said Zechs, "but he'd no doubt hide that from Quatre since he obviously doesn't want you to know. It's my opinion, for whatever it's worth, that you _need_ to know. It's wrong to let one of your best resources go unused, and Quatre shouldn't be left thinking of himself as useless."

Wufei was rather impressed. He smiled at the man's serious expression. "Well, if you didn't have my vote before, you'd have it now. You seem to know more about us than _we_ do. That sort of insight could prove very handy. As it stands though, you'll still have to talk to Heero."

Seeing Zechs' uncertain expression, he smirked. "I wouldn't worry about that. Just tell him about the possibility of Duo's having another power and he'll be on your side in no time."

Zechs' eyes widened at the implications of that statement, and he cleared his throat. "Like that? The two of them?" At Wufei's semi-proud nod, he managed a smile. "That explains the banter then. I take it it's a matter of opposites, yes?"

"They'll certainly keep each other on his toes," Wufei said, an evil grin surfacing as he climbed to his feet. "Come on, if we don't get in there, Duo'll be dragging us in. He's waited long enough."

"You're very close to him..."

Turning at the man's soft, surprised voice, Wufei met his eyes without flinching. "He's the best friend I'll ever have."


	17. Revelations

_**Part 17: Revelations**_

Duo stalked into Heero's room and frowned down at the dark-haired boy sitting in front of his laptop. He hadn't said a word to him since that rebuff during breakfast. It almost made him wonder if he'd only imagined last night.

"You know, Heero, you weren't very nice to me considering what we did last night."

There was a hint of hurt in Duo's reproachful voice. Heero sighed and pushed his chair back so he could stand and face the boy. He took in Duo's worried expression with resignation. He stepped to him, one hand taking hold of his braid, the other moving around his waist. Just the closeness was enough to lighten the cloud that had settled over Duo's eyes.

"You were being impatient," said Heero. "Was I supposed to give in?"

He shook his head and pulled the unresisting boy up against him for a delving kiss that promised more than it delivered. It said he cared about him, was attracted to him, and of course last night was special, but he was still himself and Duo wasn't going to suddenly find him running around at his beck and call. Then he pulled back and met Duo's violet eyes with a sharp nod to reinforce the message. He abruptly released him and stepped back.

"Mmm, much better," sighed Duo. He grinned at how quickly Heero had reacted to him. Sure, he got the message in that kiss, but he'd also gotten the good morning kiss he'd wanted from his new lover. He didn't even mind when Heero gave him a light push toward the door.

"Let's go," said Heero. He opened his bedroom door and prodded Duo into the hall. "Everybody should be fully awake now, including you."

"What's that mean?" Duo asked, frowning over his shoulder at Heero.

"You don't wake up until you've eaten. I've noticed."

"Oh."

They found Relena sitting on the couch when they entered the living room. Heero's hand dropped from Duo's back as he glanced at her, not because he was concerned about what she might think of them, but because it was none of her business. She was glaring at the kitchen doorway, her arms folded over her chest. But she smiled and stood when she saw them.

"Hello," she greeted. "I was wondering where you went. My brother is outside."

Heero passed her with a nod on his way to the kitchen. He sat down across from Trowa and Quatre without a word. Duo grinned as he followed, but paused to shrug at the girl. She was looking surprised by Heero's abruptness.

"Heero's ready to talk," Duo explained, "so there's no time to waste." He hesitated in the doorway, frowning as he took in her wide eyes. "What's wrong? Aren't you coming?"

"Oh. Yes, of course."

She brushed past him on her way into the kitchen, and Duo frowned when he saw where her eyes were focused. Heero might have broken contact with him the moment they came into the room, but it seemed she'd still guessed why the boy wasn't the least bit interested in talking to her. Duo smirked at what he recognized as jealousy. His smirk widened when he sat across from Heero, watching the boy to see if he'd noticed his new admirer. It wasn't like Duo blamed her. Heero looked great in that tank-top. Besides, Heero belonged to him.

A moment later, he stood up again, grin in place as he walked to the door. He pushed it open and he stuck his head out. "Come on, you two, time's a-wastin'."

Zechs and Wufei broke off whatever they'd been talking about and turned. Duo held the door for them and waved them toward the table. Zechs and Wufei glanced at each other as they sat, then Zechs cleared his throat. He was careful not to look at his sister. She didn't need to be here for this. If he glanced at her, he'd have to fight the urge to ask her to leave the room and that was bound to make her react again. He centered his attention on Heero, who was watching him closely, intense eyes giving nothing away save his rapt attention.

"I'm not sure where to start," said Zechs, "but I assume you have questions."

"That's right," Duo said, nodding as his smile gave way to a serious expression. "If no one else minds, I'd like to go first." He didn't receive any objections, so he took that as a go ahead. "First off, if you were being forced to help OZ, why'd you tell them where I was? Couldn't you have lied or something?"

Zechs winced and dropped his eyes to the table. "I had to distract them," he said slowly, not proud of his rash decision, but not making excuses for it, either. "I knew what they'd do and it was the only way I could think of to distract them enough for me to get one of their guns. I knew I could heal you, and I thought I could kill them before you were injured too badly. I hadn't counted on Treize pinpointing you like that. I'm sorry. If I'd known, I wouldn't have taken the risk."

"How did this Treize get away?" asked Wufei. "I would have thought he'd kill you before making his escape."

"He would have, but as soon as he fired he was out the door. After Quatre. That's when I killed the other two. They were checking the body - I mean Duo. I followed Treize, but he must have heard the commotion because he was gone when I got to Quatre. I'd just brought Quatre to where Duo was when Trowa showed up."

"How long were you with OZ?" asked Quatre.

Zechs sighed and glanced over at the boy, grateful for the change in subject. "About two weeks. They didn't have Relena for the first day or two, so they couldn't use me at first."

"Do you know why they've been so determined to catch me?" Duo asked, his eyes hard. "It's been years and there are still posters out for me."

Zechs glanced at Wufei, who nodded. He stilled himself for what he suspected was to come and turned back to Duo.

"I know why," said Zechs. "Duo, have you ever had the feeling you've forgotten something?"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I've seen footage of the massacre." Zechs winced when Heero glared at him and knew he shouldn't have used the word 'massacre.' He gritted his teeth and plowed forward. "Duo, how did you get out of the church? The doors were nailed shut."

Duo's eyes narrowed and he frowned at the man, confusion evident. "What? They couldn't have been. I went out the back door. It was the closest to where I was and there wasn't time to try and sneak out."

"Yes," Zechs nodded, "the footage shows you appearing outside the door. But how did you get through it? Duo, that door never moved." The boy didn't answer, eyes wide as he paled visibly, shaking his head. "Treize is convinced you either teleported to the outside or walked _through_ the door. And I know you teleported, moved yourself. Because I've seen you do it."

"No...I didn't," Duo blurted. "Damnit! I knw I went out that door. How could I have...done that and not remember? I remember everything about that day, I always will. There's no way I could forget. Besides, if I could do that, then..."

Duo's voice trailed off, his face growing paler as he suddenly dropped his eyes to the table.

"Inside the base," said Zechs, "when Treize shot you, you did it then. It was just for a second before you lost consciousness, but for a second you weren't there."

Duo glared suddenly and flashed a look around the table. "Are you guys hearing him? He's saying I wasn't in the base. Why are you looking at _me_?"

"Duo," said Heero, "do you remember opening the door?"

Duo flinched, stricken by Heero's coldly sober tone. He stared at Heero for a minute, hurt shining in his wide eyes. "Not you, too..."

"Do you?" asked Heero.

Wincing away from that look, Duo wrapped his arms around himself. Then he jerked his head back again to glare at Heero. "_No! _Okay? Is that what you want to hear? I don't actually _remember_ going out the door. But things were happening so fast and there was so much smoke...I could barely see anything. The church only had two doors and I went for the closest one."

"Quatre," said Zechs, "did you hear the last thing that was going through his mind in the base?"

The blonde boy looked at Zechs sharply, eyes narrowing slowly. "Yes. He was thinking that he had to get out, then..." He gasped as he remembered and flashed a look at Duo. "Duo...he's right. I didn't have time to think about it, but I lost contact with you. It was just for a second, but you _were_ gone."

Duo closed his eyes tight, and Zechs shook his head at the boy. "Don't feel like that," said Zechs. Duo glanced up, glaring at Zechs before looking down again. "You shouldn't feel like you've been betrayed, Duo."

Duo flinched and wondered if the bastard was reading his mind. He glanced up to find Heero's eyes on him. He winced away, shaking his head. "I just need time to think about this, okay? Can we talk about something else for a while?"

"Do you want to take a break?" asked Relena. "We have time."

Duo jerked, his eyes flying around the table. Why was _she_ reassuring him? The somewhat confused expression on Relena's face acted as a cruel reality check. He stared hard at her for a moment before dropping his eyes again. "No. I'm fine."

Heero stood suddenly and nodded sharply at Zechs. "We'll be back."

He ignored Duo's protests as he pulled the longhaired boy to his feet and practically drug him out of the room. He didn't stop until he'd pressed Duo into his room and had the door shut firmly behind them. Even alone, Duo wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Heero, I'm fine," Duo muttered quietly. "Really, it's just a lot to take in, is all."

"You never lie," Heero said softly. He pulled Duo to him and wrapped his arms around him, holding the stiff boy close. Minutes passed before Duo finally relaxed. Duo's arms moved around Heero's waist and he hid his head against his shoulder.

"Tell me," said Heero.

"Heero...don't you see what this means?" A small choked cry escaped him, and Duo swallowed it down, squeezing Heero tightly. "If I could do what he says then I...I could have saved them. I could have..."

"You were too young, and you _didn't_ know." Heero returned the almost painful embrace. He lowered his head so his cheek pressed against Duo's as he whispered in his ear. "It's not your fault. You didn't do it, OZ did. The only thing you're guilty of is being a child." Duo shook roughly, and Heero held him tight. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead on Duo's shoulder. "Duo...please don't cry..."

.-.

"Why wouldn't he remember?" Trowa mused quietly. "How could he forget something so important to him?"

"I don't know," Quatre sighed. "I guess it just happened so fast he never thought about it. Maybe his power only manifests itself when he's in danger."

"For now," Zechs agreed, nodding. "But I think he could learn to master it."

"If he can," said Wufei, "it would be a great addition. But we can't push him. I think there's a reason why he doesn't want to believe it, and without knowing what that is, we can't push him." He gave a slight smile when Zechs nodded in agreement. Wufei sighed. "As soon as they get back, we'll discuss you."

"No," Zechs shook his head. "Quatre first."

Trowa's eyes narrowed when Zechs didn't say any more.

"Me?" asked Quatre. "Couldn't you tell me now?"

"We should wait," Wufei said, eyes moving to the doorway. "Heero definitely needs to hear this."

"Is Heero your leader?" asked Relena.

Wufei looked at Relena in something akin to surprise. He'd forgotten her. He glanced at Zechs before focusing on her again. "I would say he is. He's the one who drew us together, although other things played into it. We're also together because our abilities are magnified when we fight together. We compliment each other." He looked at Zechs again and smiled. "Heero wanted to form an elite team of mutants."

"I see," said Relena. "Will Duo's new ability help?"

Wufei glared at her, causing her to sit back sharply.

"Of course," said Wufei, "if he can use it."

"Why couldn't he?" Relena frowned back at the scowling boy, her arms folded over her chest. "If it only happens when he's in danger, the obvious course would be to put him in danger." She flinched as three more glaring eyes pinned her down, but continued doggedly. "Not _real_ danger, of course, just enough for him to use his power. Then, he'll actually see it happen and he can learn how he does it."

Zechs blinked for a minute, then glanced at Wufei nervously. "She has a point. I know you don't want to push him, but for his own safety, he should know how to do it. If he could teleport on thought, he would never have been injured at all."

"Stop it," said Heero.

He glared when they looked up, and pulled Duo into the room. "Leave it for now. There are other things to discuss."

He watched Duo resume his seat, relieved that the haunted look had left his eyes. Then he sat as well.

"What else do you have?" Heero asked, staring at Zechs with a raised eyebrow.

"Well," said Zechs, "this isn't really a revelation since two of you already know, but I think you should address it. Wufei told me that you," he nodded to Heero, "have been in charge of strategy. While I admit that you have done well, I have to say that you aren't the most qualified."

Duo smiled and laughed, missing the way Heero's eyes softened a bit at the sound. "Are you trying to get all of us mad at you? I must say, you're pretty brave."

"Actually," said Zechs, "I don't want any of you angry with me. I'm trying to help. What I meant was, Quatre is a better strategist."

"Me!" Pale blue-green eyes very wide, Quatre blanched. He quickly looked to Heero. "Heero is much better."

"I hadn't realized how much the five of you were ignorant of each other," said Zechs, "but you really don't know each other that well. Quatre, you know I'm right about you. You have a problem doubting yourself, but there's no reason for it. In fact, by hiding your skills, you aren't helping your friends."

"Are you a psychologist?" asked Duo. "I don't know what you're talking about, but I get the feeling you're good at manipulating people."

Zechs flushed as he looked at the longhaired boy, Duo's words affecting him badly. "I do know about manipulation," he admitted, "but that's not what I'm doing. Quatre, how many battles have you directed?"

All eyes moved to the blonde boy and his normally pale face grew white.

"It's not the same," Quatre said, his eyes dropping to the table. "Those were during a war, they weren't like our battles. I don't know anything about attacking bases the way the others do. Remember, I've never attacked OZ."

"Enough," Trowa said softly, a hand moving to Quatre's shoulder. "Zechs is right. This should be addressed. I've known about your skills, Quatre, and I've kept quiet for your sake. But I _don't_," his eyes narrowed, "like the way you put yourself down."

He met Heero's frowning gaze steadily, not removing his hand from Quatre's shoulder. "The base he was in when you met him belongs to a group called the Maguanac Core. Rebels, they fought together and Quatre led and directed them from a distance. And he was excellent at it."

Duo couldn't help smiling at how proud Trowa was of the blonde boy. "Wow, Quatre. Why didn't you say something?"

"He's intimidated," said Wufei.

Duo's eyes widened in disbelief. "By _me_?"

Wufei snorted and looked back at Quatre. "If you have doubts, put them aside. We're friends, comrades. Each of us excels at certain things. One of your skills is leadership. Just accept it."

Heero frowned thoughtfully. "Quatre, what would you do if you were in charge of our missions?"

Quatre's eyes widened and he shook his head quickly. "No, Heero. It's true about the Maguanacs, but that was different. I'm not qualified for this."

Heero stared at the boy, drilling him with an intense gaze. "I believe Trowa. He knows you better than any of us. Actually, I have no qualms at all. I play by the numbers, a different view can help."

.-.

Quatre was still thinking about what they'd said a few hours later. He'd taken a quiet seat on the couch and the others had politely left him to his thoughts.

"Could I speak to you for a moment?"

Quatre turned in response to the soft request, his eyes catching Relena. "Of course. Is something wrong?"

Heero and Wufei were speaking to Zechs in another room, so he gestured toward the empty kitchen. He could have let her sit beside him on the couch, but it didn't seem proper. She was a princess, after all.

"Actually," said Relena, as she followed him, "I'm worried about what's going to happen to me. My brother is planning to send me home. But what's to stop OZ from simply kidnapping me again to use against him?" She nodded at Quatre's concerned expression and sat across the table from him. "I don't know what to do to keep that from happening."

"Isn't there some way you could be protected?" asked Quatre.

"I had guards in the Sanq kingdom, but they were no match for OZ, especially when they knew exactly where I was. I don't understand why I couldn't stay here." She saw the boy frown slightly and looked down at the table. "I'd be much safer with you, and I know Zechs wants to join you. I'd hate to be used against him again."

"Yes..." Quatre's eyes moved over the girl and his frown deepened. "You were lucky to have gotten away uninjured. I don't know if it will help, but I'll talk to the others for you. You really would be much safer here."

Relena stood abruptly, flashing Quatre a bright smile and taking the surprised boy's hand in both of hers. "Thank you. I knew you'd help me."

.-.

"I have no objections," Heero said evenly, staring at Zechs. "A healer would be invaluable. That, combined with your telepathic abilities, leaves me no reason to object. However." He shook his head slowly, eyes glinting dangerously. "You are the only one of us with someone who can be used against you. We can't let that happen again."

"I'm glad you realized that," Quatre said, smiling from the doorway. He nodded before entering the room. "It seems that the best solution would be to keep Miss Relena in a safe place where OZ can't find her. To make sure she's protected, and thereby protect ourselves as well."

"But where?" asked Zechs. He frowned at Heero, taking in the boy's dark gaze. "I'd planned to send her home, but I have to admit it's a bad idea, stupid really. It would be easy for OZ to go and get her again. It's a pacifist nation, you see? They're practically defenseless."

"Aren't you the heir now?" asked Wufei. He raised an eyebrow when the blonde man turned sharply. "I'm surprised you would let your country go unprotected."

"I was disowned," said Zechs. "Privately, but I've no love for the title."

"What about the people?" Wufei asked softly. He recognized the man's anger as an attempt to hide his pain. "Did they play a part in it? Should they be held responsible for something your father did?"

Zechs shook his head. "If they knew I was a mutant, I'm sure they'd react the same way he did. No, Relena would make a much better ruler...if she could forget about herself long enough to think of the kingdom and the people. She was very good at keeping the peace when she was a child. She did it naturally. I believe those traits are still there."

"Until you decide how to protect her inside the nation," said Quatre, "I suggest we keep her here with us. It's the safest alternative."

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into," Zechs said softly, glancing up at the boy from where he sat. "But you're right."

.-.

Trowa had gone outside to give Quatre some privacy. He'd found Duo planted in the tall tree that overlooked the house. It wasn't long before he found himself brainstorming, and he took advantage of the fact that the two of them were alone. He didn't think he could have mentioned his idea to Duo with Heero nearby.

"I'm not a coward," said Duo, "and I'm not afraid of pain, but I don't want to _die_." He chewed on his lower lip and flashed Trowa a weak smile. "What if it doesn't work and my power doesn't manifest itself? You could end up killing me. I mean, being invisible isn't going to help when you know exactly where I am, and I can only run so fast. You can fly."

"I wouldn't know _exactly_ where you were," said Trowa, "just an approximation. I know I can't control my powers, but I don't believe I'd kill you. I _did _stop when Zechs had Quatre, so I must have some bit of control." He glanced down at the ground beneath the limb he sat on, and shook his head. "With Zechs' abilities, any injuries can easily be healed."

Duo made a disgruntled sound, leaning back on the limb he was reclining on and flashing a semi-glare at Trowa. "So you say, but the healing hurts almost as much as the injury. I don't know, Trowa. I mean, what if it _doesn't_ work? After all, if it's my subconscious that triggers the power, it may not work if _you're_ the threat. Besides, I can't see as how I'd be much of a threat to you. Wufei could be a good sparring partner for you to test yourself on, but without a gun, I'm more of an infiltrator than a fighter. Man, that sucks to say." Trowa glanced up and he grinned. "No one said the truth had to be nice."

"Use a gun, then," said Trowa.

Duo's mouth fell open and he nearly fell out of the tree as he jerked away from the green-eyed boy. "Are you nuts? Shit, I don't care how fast you fly, I never miss a target." He saw Trowa's lips twitch into a slight smirk. He blinked and tilted his head to the side. "What?"

"I don't have Heero's speed," said Trowa, "but if you noticed, I didn't get shot in the base. I can't really remember much when I'm in that state, but surely one of the guards I took down got a shot off first. At close range."

"Are you saying...what? Bullets don't hurt you?"

Trowa shrugged, eyes blazing. "I don't _know_. That's just one more reason for me to learn to control my power so I can use it. You also have a power you need to learn to control. I can't see any of the others voluntarily injuring you, or even threatening you to the point that your life is in danger." He looked away abruptly, his voice soft. "I wouldn't do it voluntarily either, but if I don't restrain myself and you threaten me, I'll react accordingly."

"I'd say let me think about it, but I guess time's not something we have a lot of."

"No," said Trowa. "It's likely that they'll try to use a mutant again. They almost got us this time."

"Doesn't look like we have any alternative. But still, I don't like the idea of shooting at you. I mean, it's dangerous." Trowa raised an eyebrow at him, and Duo let out a soft laugh. "Right. Since when is anything we do _not_ dangerous..."


	18. Reactions

_**Part 18: Reactions**_

"No," said Heero.

"What do you mean 'no'?" Duo blurted. "Aren't you even going to consider it? The idea has...merit."

Heero's eyes moved over Duo. He could see Duo's disgruntled expression, but he also saw relief not quite masked in those violet eyes. "I take it this was Trowa's idea?"

"It doesn't matter whose idea it was," Duo said quickly, frowning. "I want one reason why you said no, just one. What am I supposed to tell Trowa? Nevermind, Heero won't let me?"

"It's dangerous and unnecessary." Turning in his chair, Heero pointed to the blueprints on the screen of his laptop. "This isn't far from where we picked up Zechs. There's a chance this is where Treize ran to."

"Hey, we're not done discussing this." Duo's gaze turned dark as he frowned.

"I'll give these to Quatre," Heero continued, "but if I find fault with his plan, I want you to tell him. If it comes from me he may take it badly."

"Damnit, Heero. You're not even going to talk about it?"

Heero turned to him and stood. "No, I'm not. You didn't see Trowa when he lost control. If you had, you wouldn't even _think_ about fighting him with nothing more than a useless gun. It would take more than that and then _he'd_ be in danger." He put his hands on Duo's shoulders, gripping them lightly. "I know why he thought of it, kill two birds with one stone, but it's too dangerous. You wouldn't stand a chance."

Duo flinched and got angry, but it left him a second later. He sighed and dropped his gaze. "I appreciate that vote of confidence," he said, sarcasm dripping from the words.

"Duo-"

"No, it's okay." Duo shook his head with a weak smile. "I actually told Trowa about the same thing when we first talked about it. I mean, what good is being invisible if the opponent can read your mind and know where you are, right? But how else am I going to learn?"

"We'll think of something. Don't worry about it right now," said Heero. "Come on, let's show this to Quatre."

It wasn't hard to find Quatre. They could hear his angry voice from the hallway. The fact that Wufei, Zechs, and Relena were standing in the hall and staring at the closed bedroom door helped, too. Heero didn't seem to be as bothered as the rest of them. He walked right up to the door and would have knocked if Duo hadn't drug him to a halt. Eyes wide at the muffled yelling, Duo shook his head and pulled Heero back. He gave a quick glance to the others and took another sharp step back when Quatre suddenly jerked the door open.

Quatre stalked out of the room, only to stop abruptly. His glare cooled just a bit before darkening again as he looked at all the staring eyes. "He's pissing me off."

"Quatre?" Duo's eyes widened and he looked at the normally soft-spoken boy in surprise.

Trowa came out of the room to stand behind him, and Quatre threw a cold glare over his shoulder. Then he turned back to the others and spoke as if his lover weren't less than a foot away.

"First he's afraid to drop his control because he might hurt me," Quatre glared, "and then he decides, _'Oh, it's okay, I'll just hurt Duo instead.'_"

Trowa glanced around the hall, looking decidedly uncomfortable. "Quatre... Can we talk about this?"

"No!" spat Quatre. He wheeled around to glare at him. "You said you were sick of me doubting myself. Then why is it okay for _him_," he pointed at Duo, who took a sharp step back, eyes even wider than before, "to take the risks and not for _me_? It's stupid."

"I agree," said Heero.

Quatre looked to Heero in surprise, then a wide smile slowly claimed his face, a smug one that stayed as he folded his arms over his chest and faced Trowa.

"See?" sniffed Quatre.

Trowa shook his head and raised his hands in defeat. He'd never realized the sweet boy had such a temper. "Okay, Quatre. You win, all right?"

Quatre nodded sharply. Then he beamed with satisfaction and wrapped his arms around the taller boy's waist, not caring that the others saw him. "I knew you'd see it my way."

The shift in mood was so sudden that Duo let out a laugh. He wished he hadn't a moment later when Quatre raised an eyebrow at him. He abruptly froze, unwilling to have the boy go off on him next.

"Hey," said Duo, "cool it. I already got a lecture for my little part in this." He wondered how Trowa was taking the complete rejection of his plan, but a glance at his face revealed nothing but relief. He seemed perfectly satisfied as long as Quatre continued to hug him.

Heero took that moment to step forward. "I have something to show you, Quatre."

Duo smiled at Heero. Of course _Heero_ wasn't at all bothered by Quatre's explosion. "Yeah, mission."

With a final sweet smile at Trowa, Quatre slowly released him. "Okay, what have you got?"

.-.

Duo smiled when he left the kitchen-turned-base-of-operations. Quatre was as good as Zechs has said, and Duo was happy with his upcoming role. Once again, he'd be on the forefront, rather than just infiltration. Equipped with a silencer, he'd still have the element of surprise on his side, but he'd be right there with Heero instead of sneaking around and clearing the way.

He caught sight of Relena leaning against the wall, and shared his smile with her.

"Did things go well?" she asked. Duo nodded and she straightened, following him down the hall. "So where are you attacking? I hope it won't be too dangerous."

"Don't sweat it," said Duo. "It's a small base about two miles from the last one. We're hoping to find Treize there." He noticed that a frown crossed her face, and he paused to reassure her. "It won't be that dangerous. We have the layout and shift change times."

"You do?" she blinked. "How did you manage that?"

"Heero. He's great with computers."

"I see." She smiled and tilted her head to the side. "I guess with him for a leader, everyone will be okay. When are you going? Not tonight, I hope? It's so late..."

"No," said Duo. "We intercepted a message that there's going to be someone arriving tomorrow, so we're scheduled to attack that evening. It's easier to go in at night."

"I understand completely. Are they finished making plans, then?" She glanced back down the hall before giving Duo a sheepish smile. "I'm rather thirsty..."

"Sure. Come on," he turned to walk with her. "I'm sorry Zechs made you wait outside, but I'm sure a pacifist wouldn't be comfortable hearing our plans."

"Yes."

Duo pushed the kitchen door open for her. He found himself watching the way she smiled at everyone. She didn't seem to be the brat Zechs had warned them about. In fact, aside from being interested in Heero, she was acting rather pleasant. Thinking back, he couldn't pinpoint a single time she had behaved with anything other than politeness, at least around him. Why was Zechs so worried? She hadn't even complained about them fighting. Maybe she wasn't as much of a pacifist as Zechs thought she was. Duo, for one, don't mind that at all. He never wanted some idealistic fanatic to try pushing her ideas on him and everyone else. But Relena, not once had she complained...

.-.

Zechs had barely left the house when a voice called out to him.

"You know, you were right about Quatre."

"Wufei?" Zechs stopped short. He looked around for a moment before catching sight of the boy in a tree to his left. The sight brought a faint smile to his face. "What is it with you boys and trees?"

"Climb on up and I'll tell you," Wufei smirked, watching the man eye the tree with skepticism.

Zechs walked to the tree, but he shook his head when he looked up. "Actually, I was looking for Relena. I thought she came out this way."

"She did," said Wufei. "She said she was going for a walk. There's a nice field not too far from here. It should be safe."

"Oh. Well, in that case..."

Zechs climbed the tree, awkwardly enough to make Wufei smirk at him. He smiled back and perched, a bit uncomfortably, on a limb near the black-haired boy. "Okay, tell my why you like trees. As far as I can see, it's not very comfortable."

"No, but look around. It's better in a taller tree, best on the edge of a cliff, but this isn't too bad." Wufei leaned his back against the trunk, his legs stretched out on the limb as he looked over at Zechs. "There's something about being up, off the ground. As if you're separated from things, beyond them. Of course, there's also the fact that you can see more, which makes a tree a good vantage point for me to fight from. I don't know about the others, but Duo feels the same way."

"You should hang-glide sometime," Zechs murmured, staring upward as he tried to feel what the boy had described. "Or maybe Trowa could fly with you."

"No, thanks," Wufei said quickly, a slight smile curving his lips. "I don't want Quatre mad at me _or_ Trowa. I don't think Trowa could handle it."

"He was so angry this morning," Zechs marvelled. "I had no idea he had such a temper. Do you know what that was about? I know he said something about Duo being in danger, but I think I missed something."

"Yeah, well, Duo explained it to me. I guess he and Trowa were planning to have some sort of mock-battle. Quatre was angry because Trowa asked Duo, but refuses to let down his guard with _him_. It's like you said," Wufei nodded. "He's afraid Quatre won't be able to handle the anger if he drops his block. He thinks he'll end up hurting him."

"I see," said Zechs. "Well, Quatre certainly calmed quickly enough."

Wufei smiled a bit as he remembered how fast the boy had gone from enraged to sweet. "It's better than if he stayed angry about it." Remembering what he'd said earlier, Wufei nodded again. "You were right about Quatre being a good strategist. I know Duo's happier being up there with Heero and Trowa. And you'll come in handy, too."

"Well, thank you," Zechs smirked, looking at the boy's serious expression. "I think."

"Really," said Wufei. "With Trowa inside, Quatre can still work as a mediator and I won't be left out of the loop with you there. Not that we didn't do all right before, but I can't have Quatre with me when I work, and he can't read me."

"That's been bothering me," Zechs frowned. "Why couldn't Quatre join you?"

"Come on, Zechs," Wufei muttered, looking down at his crossed arms. "You read my mind before, so I'm sure you know."

"Oh." Zechs winced slightly at his own lack of tact. He hadn't missed Wufei's strong sense of pride, and he knew that other than Duo, the boys weren't aware of how tired Wufei was after he used his powers. Wufei didn't want them to know, and as long as his weaknes didn't slow them down, they didn't need to know.

"But my being there won't bother you?" asked Zechs.

"You already know," Wufei said sharply. "Besides, you know better than to give me sympathy. Quatre's too sweet not to let his concern show, and I don't want that."

"You don't think I sympathize with you?" Zechs asked, his voice sounding sarcastically concerned. "Poor, poor Wufei..."

Wufei turned sharply. His eyes widened and he stared at the man for a minute before glaring darkly. "Funny, but Duo's better at teasing."

"Oh, well," Zechs shrugged, still smiling at having gotten a rise out of the boy. "I had to try."

.-.

"I don't hear any typing," Duo murmured, in an almost sing-song voice.

He didn't move from where he lying on his back in the middle of the bed. He smiled with his eyes closed and listened for a response to his taunt. He'd spent the last hour listening to the sound of Heero's fingers flying over the laptop with soft clicks. It was almost musical. But it had been silent for the last couple of minutes.

"Are you still here?" asked Duo. He didn't receive an answer, so he cracked open an eye and looked toward the desk. His smile widened when he saw that Heero was turned in his chair, facing him. "What're you doing?"

"Watching you," Heero shrugged. "You look different when you're relaxed. No smile."

"Well, which do you prefer?" Duo asked, blinking his lashes at Heero. "Smile or no smile?" Heero shrugged again, his expression unreadable. Duo smirked. "Don't feel like talking? Okay, why don't you come over _here_ and watch me."

Heero stood immediately, and Duo grinned as he sat up. His eyes were shining by the time Heero sat on the bed. He crawled to him so he could lean against Heero's back. He let his hands trail lightly over the boy's chest in soft strokes.

"You know," Duo murmured, "I wouldn't mind watching _you_ sleep...if you ever slept."

"You weren't sleeping," Heero said, turning his head so he could see Duo.

"No," Duo admitted. "I was trying to figure out what you were typing. I don't know, guess I was bored, but not tired." He gave a small smile as he pressed his palms flat against Heero's chest, arms tightening as he pulled him back against him. Cobalt eyes glinted and Duo kissed him teasingly. He'd just pulled back when he heard something. They both stiffened and turned to find the bedroom door open.

Relena stepped into the room, and Duo blushed. Had she never heard of knocking? He quickly released Heero and sat back on his heels.

"Relena?" asked Duo. "What-"

Relena's gaze snapped from Heero, who was glaring fiercely, to Duo. Her eyes narrowed suddenly and her arm lifted. She was holding a rather large handgun.

Staring at the gun, Duo's breath caught and he froze in complete disbelief. Then she fired.


	19. New Destination

_**Part 19: New Destination**_

It happened so fast. Duo heard the quiet explosion as the silencer-equipped gun went off. Then there was a rush of air and he was falling. It took his dazed mind a few seconds to realize Heero had shoved him off the bed and was holding him down. Heero was shielding him. Duo's eyes widened and he looked over Heero's shoulder to see their attacker. He saw Relena's hand turn as she followed them, and she fired again, the bullets finding a resting spot in the boy hovering over him.

Heero knew her target was Duo. He couldn't rush the girl without leaving Duo unguarded. He gritted his teeth as his body expelled the bullets and did its best to heal him as quickly as possible. There was no choice. He had to wait until she ran out of bullets. That was the plan, but his chest caught a sudden blaze of pain and he sagged forward as his vision grew hazy.

Duo knew Heero took bullets often, but not at such a close range, not so many. He let out a cry when the dark-haired boy fell back on him. He quickly wrapped his arms Heero's waist and turned invisible. That was the best he could do since whatever he held was also unseen. There was a pause in the firing, and Duo focused on Heero. He could hear him breathing so close to him and the sound was wet, almost bubbly. He was certain Heero had taken a hit to the lungs. What if he couldn't heal something that severe on his own?

Duo sent a panicked look at Relena. She was still standing near the door, but her cool blue eyes were locked on the corner where they lay as she efficiently reloaded.

_'She's going to kill him!'_

.-.

Quatre stiffened suddenly, a fist clenched to his chest as he let out a keening cry. He bent forward for a second, almost cringing over his knees. But he fought it off desperately. By the time Trowa had moved to his side, he was standing.

"Something's wrong!" Quatre cried.

.-.

Zechs had reacted nearly as quickly as Quatre, though for a different reason. He ran toward the house and threw a wild look at the boy beside him.

"Duo's _gone_," he said to Wufei. "I don't know what, but something's happened and he's not _here_ anymore!"

.-.

Trowa and Quatre rushed down the hall and skidded to a halt just short of Heero's room. The Japanese boy was standing just outside the door, a large gun in his hand.

"Heero?" Quatre cried. He was caught by Heero's furious eyes and he sent a confused look at Trowa before taking a step toward their friend. "What's going on?"

"Relena attacked us," Heero said, his eyes narrowed to slits as he gripped the gun tightly.

"Where's Duo?" asked Quatre. His eyes were very wide in aprehension. He took another tentative step toward Heero. Then Trowa flinched and suddenly shoved him to the side and into the wall.

"Stay back!" cried Trowa. "That isn't Heero!"

Trowa reeled against the wall as the Heero, who clearly wasn't Heero, fired on him. He heard Quatre give a horrified cry, but his pain-fogged eyes stayed on what looked like their friend. Heero immediately turned the gun towards Quatre.

.-.

An immensely confusing scene greeted them when Wufei and Zechs reached the hall. Zechs didn't even try to make sense of it. Quatre was leaning over Trowa, trying desperately to stop his bleeding. Zechs rushed to Quatre's side. He pushed the boy back and quickly looked over Trowa's wounded chest. Blood was soaking the dark turtleneck. He sent one glance to where Heero lay unconscious on the floor, then he pushed it out of his mind. Heero was breathing, Trowa wouldn't be in a few more minutes. Zechs left the questions to Wufei while hurried to heal Trowa.

Wufei stopped over the scene. "What-"

"That's not Heero," said Quatre. His voice was as cold as his pale blue-green eyes. He glared at the body lying on the floor. "I don't know who it is, but it's not him."

"What are you talking about?" Wufei demanded, his eyes moving from Trowa back to the blonde boy. Then he remembered what Zechs had said outside and his black eyes narrowed dangerously. "Where's Duo?"

"I...don't know." Quatre stepped over the body and glanced into the open bedroom, his eyes moving over the bloody floor before he turned back to the hall. "This person said Relena attacked them. Then he shot Trowa. I knocked him out."

"Quatre..?"

The familiar voice made Quatre give a shocked gasp. He turned to look into the bedroom again, and his face went ashen. Duo was standing behind him. He was covered in blood, and his violet eyes were very wide and distant.

"Duo!" gasped Quatre. "What happened? What's going on?"

Duo shook his head and stumbled out of the room. He grabbed Quatre by the shoulders and looked him over quickly.

"Relena's crazy," Duo blurted. "I don't-"

His voice died off as he caught sight of the dark-haired boy lying on the carpet of the hallway. That wasn't possible. His mouth fell open in disbelief. "Heero...?"

"It's not..." Trowa shook his head. He sat up slowly, his eyes burning from the pain of both the shot and the healing. Suddenly he understood what Duo had meant about the healing hurting as much as the injury.

"That isn't Heero," said Trowa.

"No shit!" Duo cried, his eyes wide. "I left Heero at the ruins..." The four of them looked at him, and he groaned suddenly. He pressed his hands to his head. "Damnit. I don't even know if I can go back and get him..."

"You teleported," Wufei said in surprise. Then his eyes widened. "_With Heero? _You took him with you?"

"Yeah," said Duo. "But don't ask me how, or why the hell I ended up at the Maxwell church, what's left of it, anyway..." Staring down at the person who looked just like Heero, Duo shook his head suddenly. "I guess you guys didn't need my help, after all. I'm going to try to get Heero."

The boy disappeared suddenly and the four looked at each other, then their gazes centered on the body.

"Let's get him into the kitchen," Wufei murmured, glancing at Quatre. "Then we can find out what's going on here."

Wufei bent to lift the Heero-impersonator. He was dragging him toward the kitchen when his way was suddenly blocked. He blinked in surprise. Then his eyes glinted warmly. Duo looked so proud standing there, with Heero's arm slung over his shoulders.

"Are you all right, Heero?" asked Wufei.

Heero gave a weak nod, but his eyes were on the figure Wufei was carrying. "I'll heal. Who is _that_?"

"Can't you tell?" Zechs said, pushing open the kitchen door as he eyed the two boys with relief. "That's your double."

.-.

They tied the captive tightly to a chair in the center of the kitchen. Then they let Quatre have the honors. With his mental control, he both woke the figure, and forced him to return to his original form. Actually, it turned out to be _her_ original form. None of them recognized the woman who sat before them. She had long brown hair that was caught up in two braids, each tied to the back of her head. Her eyes were the same brown color. She looked to be in her thirties at the latest, and she didn't seem at all afraid of what they might do to her. A derogatory smirk was playing over her lips.

"Who are you?" Duo asked, his glare as biting as his voice.

The woman's smirk widened, but a carefully controlled thought from Quatre had her wincing suddenly.

"Colonel Une," she said, "of Treize Cushrenada's front line."

"What the hell?" Duo shot a look at Zechs and shook his head. "How did she get in here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Zechs. He glared down at his folded arms with blatant guilt written over his face. "They must have used her instead of Relena. And I never suspected a thing. _I_ let her in, brought her into your safe-house..."

"What happened to Relena?" asked Quatre. His eyes widened as he stared at the downcast Zechs, who merely shook his head. Quatre turned his glare back on Une, suddenly more furious than before. "_Tell me_."

"She's still in the Sanq kingdom, as far as I know," Une muttered, her eyes glinting in obvious hatred. "The fool never searched his _sister's_ mind to make sure it was her. It wasn't."

"They must know where we are, then," Heero said, his eyes narrowed as he looked to the others. "We have to move _now. _Before they attack us again."

"What do we do with her?" asked Quatre.

"Kill her," said Heero. Quatre's face fell, but Heero didn't waver. "Whether she's a mutant or not, she's still a member of OZ. And she tried to kill us. Quatre, she tried to kill Trowa, as well."

"I know..." Quatre whispered. "But...she's one of us. A mutant. It hurts..."

"Maybe we don't have to kill her," Duo offered slowly, wincing when Heero's intense gaze was suddenly directed at him. "Well, if she can take the shape of _anyone_, then wouldn't it be a better idea to use her instead of just killing her?"

Une flinched in outrage. "I'd _never_ work for you!"

The words were barely spit out before Quatre glared at her. She growled and lowered her head.

"You would do well to keep silent," Quatre said coldly, not forgetting the woman's attack on Trowa and his friends. "Can't you see that he's proposing something that will keep you alive? At least a little longer..."

"That's right," Duo said, his eyes on Heero as he tried to read the boy's expression. "The way I see it, if Quatre can control her, then we can have her infiltrate a lot better than _we_ ever could."

"It's a good plan," Quatre added, also turning to Heero. "I don't know what my range is, since I've never controlled anyone much, but it wouldn't be too hard to find out. We shouldn't kill her out of hand, Heero."

"No," Wufei said suddenly. He pushed away from the wall he'd been leaning against and approached the table. "We should kill her. There's no reason to take the chance of her escaping later."

Everyone looked at him in surprise, and he held up a finger over his mouth. He leaned over Duo, the boy's betrayed glare almost amusing him. When he was close enough that only Duo would hear, he whispered in his ear. "This place is probably bugged. We should take her and make our plans elsewhere."

Wufei was sure Heero must have either heard him somehow, or read his lips, because the dark-haired boy nodded sharply. As for the others, he knew they would either read his thoughts or those of Duo, who was now smiling at him. Straightening, he nodded to Une, satisfied by the way the woman's eyes widened suddenly as she realized her eminent death.

"Heero," nodded Wufei. "Would you?"

Une closed her eyes and tensed when Heero pulled his gun. Then he fired and she slumped forward in her chair. The bullet lodged harmlessly in the wall over her shoulder. It didn't matter that she hadn't been hit, since Quatre had evidently knocked her out again. Either that or she'd fainted. Somehow Heero doubted she'd fainted.

The others were moving to gather what they could for their escape. No one objected when he got a sharp knife from one of the drawers in the kitchen. It was a simple thing to cut the woman's hand deeply enough to draw blood and a few bits of flesh. He then smeared the blood onto the floor across from the wall and pushed a bit in to surround the bullet, which had lodged into one of the boards.

Quatre sighed as he returned to the kitchen, two filled bags slung over his shoulder. His eyes sparkled, but he managed to sound mournful. "I wish there was another way. I hate having done this..."

"It's done," Heero said harshly. He bent over the woman and threw her limp body over his shoulders. "We'll get rid of the body. OZ will never find it."

.-.

Since they didn't have any other safe-houses to move to, they decided to spend the night at a motel, and they were lucky enough to find one that was too busy to notice them. The evening found them gathered in one of the rooms. They'd left Une tied in a corner, Quatre making certain she would continue to sleep. Once the door was shut behind them, Duo stepped to the bed near the closet and sat on it, crossing his legs under him.

"Well, what now?" asked Duo. "We can't stay _here. _Not for long, anyway." He glared at the unconscious woman for a minute before sighing. "In fact, we probably shouldn't even stay in this _area_. I mean, if the safe-house _was_ bugged, she probably managed to get a lot more information on us than OZ had before."

"Yes," Zechs said slowly, still furious at himself for having endangered them. "She went for a walk earlier today. I'm sure she was reporting to Treize. They might even have pictures of us."

"Oh." Duo blinked for a moment, then a smile came to his face as his eyes moved over the other boys. "That means you guys are just as 'wanted' as I am. Pretty neat being a celebrity, isn't it? Looks like we'll _all_ have to hide, now."

"That means we can't let anyone see us," Quatre said slowly, leaning against Trowa. The tall boy was standing in the corner, and he was grateful to the strong arms that were wrapped around his waist as he realized how bleak things looked. "We have to find a place where no one is tied to OZ, where we won't be turned in even if someone _does_ recognize us. But there isn't any place like that..."

"There's one that comes to mind," Zechs murmured. He didn't look up, his eyes locked on the floor at his feet. "But I wouldn't blame you if you don't want to hear any more of my ideas."

"Just stop it," said Heero. He didn't blink until Zechs looked up. Then he nodded sharply. "There's no point placing blame. Trowa or Quatre could have thought to search her mind as easily as you could have. No one did, though, so there's no point blaming yourself. She got past us, that's all there is to it. We just make certain it doesn't happen again."

"What was your idea?" Wufei asked Zechs, his eyes narrowed. "You're thinking about your country...aren't you." Zechs looked at him, and he knew he was right when the man flushed lightly.

"Yes," said Zechs. "The Sanq Kingdom has always practiced pacifism. They wouldn't side with anyone, and certainly not OZ. I can't think of a better place to seek refuge in."

"Wait-a-sec," Duo said quickly, staring at the white-haired man. "We can't go into a _pacifist_ nation! Think of what we'd do to it."

"So long as we don't do any fighting _inside_ the borders," Zechs said, shaking his head, "there shouldn't be a problem."

"And you want to see your sister," said Quatre. He gave a small smile when Zechs raised an eyebrow at him. "I don't blame you at all. Actually, I'm glad you suggested it. The only place I could think of was at my - the Maguanac's base, and I'd hate to involve them."

"Weren't you kicked out of that nation?" Duo asked Zechs. He tried to keep his question gentle since he knew it was a touchy subject, but he could see as how that would create problems. "Would they really let you come back in?"

"The people may not realize I'm a mutant," said Zechs. It wasn't that he didn't see the way Duo was trying to be kind, but he knew that he'd have to put his own hesitations aside. "And Relena may not have changed as much as I feared. I think she would welcome us, even knowing we're mutants."

"You know something?" Duo smiled, glancing around before looking back to Zechs. "You're coming in real handy. Just wanted you to know that."

"I...thank you." Zechs blinked for a moment, then flushed again as Wufei smirked at him.

"Then we go," said Trowa. "It would be best to go soon, tomorrow." He glanced at Heero for a second, then at Quatre. "Is there a reason to hesitate?"

"No," said Heero.

"Okay," said Duo, "that's settled. But how are we going to get there?" He smirked and shrugged his shoulders. "I've only heard of the place in passing, but I figure it's pretty far away."

"It would only take eight hours by plane," said Zechs.

Duo glared at Zechs for a second, then frowned at him. Zechs didn't seem to know why that suggestion made him angry. "And what about _me_? Even if there aren't pictures of us all, mine are in every single airport. It's not like they're going to let you buy a seat if no one's going to be sitting in it."

"I can fly," said Trowa. Duo shot him a dirty look, and Trowa's jaw tightened a bit. His eyes narrowed in response. "I mean a _plane_," he said scathingly.

"There are a few of us who can fly a plane," Zechs agreed. A glance to Heero showed the Japanese boy nodding. He met Duo's calmer gaze with a small smirk. "I'm sure Quatre could rent a private plane."

"I could buy one," Quatre smiled. "Then that's settled, too. If we want to move early, we should probably sleep. But what about _her_?"

Following the boy's gesture, Heero's eyes narrowed. "The closet's big enough. We can put her in there for the night."

"That's cruel," Duo winced. "What if she's claustrophobic?"

"She isn't." Quatre shook his head. "If she was, you can be sure I would have objected. She may be our enemy, but that's no reason to lower ourselves to her level."

"Great," Duo smiled. Throwing his arms out, he suddenly plopped back on the bed, smiling as he closed his eyes. "I hereby claim this bed in the name of Shinigami."

"Duo, there are only two rooms," Wufei said with a smirk. Duo cracked open an eye to look at him. "You'll have to share."

"Oh, I planned to," Duo said smoothly. He smirked at Heero, who straightened abruptly.

Wufei groaned lightly and turned so he could look at Trowa.

"I can't share a room with those two," said Wufei, "so you and Quatre will have to. Zechs and I can take the other room."

It was evident that Zechs was relieved because he let out a nearly silent breath. Trowa nodded slowly, and Wufei smiled. He stepped to the door without another word, and he was followed closely by Zechs. Heero was already moving Une into the closet. While Wufei doubted Heero would have done anything with him in the room, he wouldn't put it past Duo. Wufei just didn't want to hear that.

.-.

"I can hear you," muttered Trowa.

The sound of muffled giggles broke the silence, and Trowa was grateful to the darkness of the room. He really didn't want to know what the two boys across from him were doing. Not that he didn't understand, but he wasn't interested in listening, especially when he couldn't do the same with them in the room. He sighed and waited. Barely a second passed before another giggle sounded. This time, he could feel Quatre move. He couldn't help but be irritated that they'd woken him.

"Shouldn't you be getting some sleep?" Quatre asked sleepily. He had to fight his urge to look over at the other bed. He knew he wouldn't be able to see anything, but the urge was still there. "We have to get up early."

"T-tell th-that to _Heero_," Duo managed to get out amid giggles.

Quatre's eyes widened in his face and he sat up abruptly. He couldn't imagine what the stoic boy could be doing not three feet from where he and Trowa were lying. Then he felt Trowa's arm snake around his waist and he allowed himself to be pulled down for a kiss. He tried to drown out the muffled sounds. The noises were cut off abruptly, and he snuggled against Trowa, eager to sleep. Then there was a sharp hiss, and his eyes snapped open as both he and Trowa tensed.

"You bit me," Heero whispered. He sounded afronted.

Trowa choked at Heero's accusing tone. He suddenly groaned and lifted his head, pulling his pillow free and then pressing it down over his face so he nearly hid beneath it. His mind screamed at him that he didn't want to know. He didn't. Really.

"Well, don't put your hand over my mouth," Duo retorted, his glare evident in his voice. "Besides, there are better ways of silencing me..."

With a groan equal to Trowa's, Quatre lifted the edge of the pillow, joining his tall lover beneath it. Promising himself to never share a room with the pair again, he did his best to sleep despite the distractions so nearby.


	20. Pacifism

_**Part 20: Pacifism**_

"I could fly this thing," said Duo. "No problem." He glared when the boy beside him raised an eyebrow. "I _could_."

"I'll teach you to fly some other time," Heero said, smirking at Duo's disgruntled expression. "Not right now."

Heero was piloting the large plane Quatre had purchased, and Duo sat beside him, staring at the controls. They had looked complicated enough at first, but after watching Heero maneuver the craft, he was fairly confident that he could master them easily. Still, he understood that they had a destination to reach, and now wasn't the time for learning to pilot.

"Well," said Duo. "Why don't you let Wufei fly for a while? You've been at it for hours."

"It's fine, I'm not tired." Heero blinked when Duo rolled his eyes. "What?"

"I want to _talk to you _for a minute," Duo said slowly, hiding his smile as he glanced at Zechs. The white-haired man sat behind them, prepared to answer any challenges they might get. Zechs had explained that while the Sanq Kingdom was a pacifist nation, it did have a security system and that they would no doubt be challenged once they got close enough. Of course, they were still a good four hours away, but the man wasn't taking any chances.

"I could fly for a while," Zechs offered, his own smirk showing that he understood perfectly. He was sure Duo wanted to be alone with Heero, even if the Japanese boy was oblivious.

"Excellent," Duo murmured. He stood up and laid a hand on Heero's shoulder, smiling when the boy looked up at him. "Come on, Heero. Let Zechs fly for a bit. It's not fair for you to hog the controls."

"I wasn't..." Heero trailed off, his eyes narrowing as he caught sight of a familiar sparkle in those violet eyes. "Fine." He stood and nodded to Zechs, "It's yours."

"Take your time," Zechs smirked as he sat in the pilot's seat.

Duo grinned and grabbed Heero's hand, pulling the boy out of the cockpit. The plane wasn't like a commercial one. It had rooms and a restroom that wasn't just a closet in the wall. Duo led the unresisting boy down the hall, nodding to Wufei as they passed him.

"Zechs is going to pilot," said Duo. Wufei raised an eyebrow at him, and he walked faster, pulling Heero closer to him so he could whisper in the boy's ear. "Trowa and Quatre are still sleeping, but there's another room..." He let his voice trail off, blinking at Heero. "You said you weren't tired."

"Hentai," Heero said, shaking his head. Duo was grinning at him, and he gave the boy a light push. "Insatiable, too."

"Hey, can't get too much of a good thing, right?" Heero smirked at him, and Duo shook his head. "We could just sit here and talk, if you'd prefer that."

"Baka."

.-.

"You are nearing the border of the Sanq Kingdom. Identify yourself."

Wufei stared at Zechs, taking in the man's closed expression. He hadn't spoken for hours, and he'd grown more sober as they'd neared their destination. Zechs glanced at him, then pressed a button in front of him, a visual appearing on part of the screen. A man in uniform was revealed, and he opened his mouth to speak, only to freeze. His face expressed shock.

"_Sire?_ Is that...Milliardo..." The man swallowed sharply, and his hand raised in a salute. "Your Highness. Welcome back, sir. If we may, we will escort your craft to the manor."

Zechs raised an eyebrow, the only display of his shock. He hadn't expected to be recognized on sight. The immediate respect the man had shown was also unexpected.

"Thank you," said Zechs. "I would like to speak to my sister, if she's available."

"The princess will meet your craft," the man said quickly, his eyes still wide.

.-.

They exited the plane together, leaving Une in one of the cabins. They'd released the woman for the trip, confining her to a room. Quatre knocked her out again before the six of them moved to meet the princess. She was standing at the foot of the stairs that had been brought to the plane, and her appearance was identical to the one Une had taken only two days before. The only difference was the dark pink dress she wore and the glow in her blue eyes as she stared at Zechs.

"Milliardo..."

Zechs slowly stepped to the girl. He couldn't help but be wary. He didn't know how similar she would be to the way Une had acted.

"I go by the name of Zechs now," he said, "Zechs Merquise."

"Zechs?" Relena asked, frowning in confusion. "But why would you change your name? And why did you _leave_? You never even said good-bye to me! Father said you ran away from your responsibilities..."

"He did, did he..?" Zechs glared for a moment, then he blinked in surprise as someone touched his shoulder. He turned to Wufei, and the boy's calm gaze made him shake his head before looking to the girl again. "Relena, I have a favor to ask of you. Could we speak?"

"I would hope so," Relena said, tilting her head as a small smile came to her lips. "Milliardo...of course I want to talk to you. It's been so long."

"Please, call me Zechs."

"I won't. You may go by that name everywhere else, but you're home now. And you're still my brother." Relena's expression tightened a bit when Zechs looked as if he would argue. "Come, Milliardo, and your friends. Come inside."

The manor was huge, and they were unprepared for the large number of young people who wandered around the halls. Relena didn't speak of them. She opened a door at the end of the hall and gestured for them to enter what turned out to be an office of sorts. She moved behind the desk and sat down, her eyes shining again as she looked at her brother.

"Things have changed since Father died," she said. "This is a school now."

"A _school_?" Zechs blinked, his incredulous expression making her smile as the boys fanned out behind him.

"We teach pacifism, among other things," Relena said, nodding. "But I can tell you about that later. What brings you here, after so long? And who are these people?"

Zechs introduced the others. Then he folded his arms over his chest. He knew there wasn't any way around it. His jaw tightened. "Do you know why I left? You asked why, so I assume you don't."

"No," said Relena, "Father never said why."

"I left because he found out something about me. Relena, I am a mutant." The girl's eyes widened and he stood stiffly, waiting for her reaction. Then she gave such a wide smile that he actually took a sharp step back.

"Oh, Milliardo...I can't believe it. And here I am, with my school of mutants..."

Duo's mouth dropped open, and he stared at her in disbelief. "Are you saying those kids we saw, they're mutants? _All of them?_"

"Mostly," Relena said, smiling as she nodded. "But, Brother, are you saying you left because you're a mutant? Father was so kind to mutants. Why would you leave?"

"_Kind? _Are you talking about the man who disowned me?" Zechs glared, his hands curling into fists. "He didn't want a mutant in his family. I didn't _'run away'_...I was kicked out."

"He didn't..." Relena grew quiet for a moment, her face blank, then she looked up at him. "Then you wouldn't know that two years after you left he began to issue invitations. He told me he wanted a place where mutants could go and live without being persecuted because of their differences. It must have been partly because he felt guilty for how he treated you."

Zechs didn't believe it, the man who'd cursed at him so long ago suddenly changing his tone. But Relena seemed so sure of herself that Zechs didn't want to dispel her beliefs.

"That doesn't matter now," he said. "If you already have mutants here, then I suppose there's no reason to hide it. My friends," he waved a hand at the five, "are all mutants. We needed a place to seek...shelter...for a while. Would you mind our staying here?"

"That's what we do," said Relena. "Of course they're welcome. And you, you belong here." Zechs' eyes narrowed, and she sighed. "I won't push you now, it's already so late. Come, I'll show you around."

Quatre glanced at Zechs, wary of ruining their welcome. "Zechs, what about Une..?"

"Later," Zechs murmured, shaking his head.

The woman would be fine where she was. She'd eaten during the flight, and Zechs knew no one would search the plane. He'd worry about how to tell his sister about it later. They'd passed time zones during the flight, and it was late in the evening in the Sanq Kingdom. Telling Relena could wait. Now wasn't the time to spring their un-pacifist actions on the girl.

Walking next to Heero, Duo leaned towards the boy, his voice low. "A school for mutants, teaching them pacifism. This pretty much counters what we do, doesn't it. We'll have to be careful here, if we don't want to ruin what they have going."

"Mutants aren't the ones who need to learn peace," Heero muttered, his eyes narrow. "The _non-mutants_ need to learn it first. We can't practice pacifism if it means we sit back while our kind are trampled."

"Right," sighed Duo, "but who's going to tell Relena that?"

Duo closed his mouth quickly, and gave a small smile when he realized Relena was speaking to them. Then they were being led down the hall, and he set his mind to memorizing the different rooms they were shown. The people who passed them were young, and he was uncomfortable being surrounded by so many strangers. Only the fact that they, too, were mutants kept him from giving in to his urge to turn invisible. He stuck close to Heero's side, and he even managed to smile at a few of the people who glanced in their direction.

.-.

Heero woke suddenly, his eyes flying around the room as he sought the source of the sound that had roused him. Then Duo was suddenly standing beside his bed, and he sat up, frowning.

"Have you learned to control your power so well?" asked Heero.

"Why do you think I scoped your room out so much earlier?" Duo remarked, smirking as he sat on the edge of the bed. "Besides, you didn't really expect me to sleep in my room all by myself, did you? I would have picked the lock if it came to it."

"I didn't lock the door," Heero murmured, a hand lifting to brush Duo's shoulder. He leaned forward to kiss him, then stopped abruptly. Duo had disappeared. "Duo..?"

Lips pressed to his. It was the strangest sensation, being kissed while his eyes blinked into the dark emptiness of the room. Then he felt Duo's hand on his chest. He didn't fight as he was pushed back on the bed, his fingers finding and digging into thick hair. His breath caught in his throat when a strong hand massaged him through his shorts, and he pushed upward. The slight weight lifted away, and he frowned abruptly.

"Duo? What are you doing?"

Duo reappeared, standing next to the bed. He grinned, his head tilted to look down at Heero. "I'm having fun?" He stepped to the side and clicked on the lamp, blushing a little when Heero raised an eyebrow at him. "Have I told you how pretty you are?"

"_Me?_" Heero snorted, his arms curving around the boy's waist as Duo climbed back onto the bed, those violet eyes sparkling in the light. "Does this mean you've gotten over your embarrassment?"

Duo shook his head. His fingers slid under the bottom of Heero's shirt, pushing it up. "Not really, but that's no problem. You're bold enough for the both of us, right?"

Heero's lips twitched, and Duo ducked his head, brushing his tongue over them before kissing him for real. His hands caressed Heero's chest, fingers circling his nipples while their tongues entwined. Then he pulled back again. Heero rose enough to lift the shirt over his head.

Heero closed his eyes, his mouth opening in a slow sigh. Duo kissed his chest, strong hands playing over his stomach. His mind didn't think about what his own hands were doing. They'd undone Duo's braid and hidden themselves in a long fall of hair before he knew it, keeping them occupied as a warm tongue rubbed his skin.

.-.

**NOTE:** _Part of this has been removed due to ffnet's ban on nc17 content. You can read the entire chapter at the following url, copy and paste and remove spaces:_

www . arigatomina . com / fanfiction / crossovers / gmen / gmen-020 . html

.-.

Minutes passed, the silence broken only by the sound of their breathing. Duo let out a soft laugh. He brushed his fingers over the curve of Heero's shoulder and neck, where a light pink mark was slowly disappearing. His eyes glowed as he glanced at Heero.

"I guess I won't be able to mark you as mine," said Duo. "You heal too fast. So much for my brand."

"Hn." Heero smirked. His hands gripping Duo's waist and he suddenly rolled them over so he leaned above Duo. "You don't need a brand."

Violet eyes glinted up at him, and Heero's lips twitched. His hands curved and he pressed his fingers into Duo's sides, his own eyes glowing when the boy choked back laughter, wriggling suddenly.

"Stop that! What _is_ it with you and tickling?" Duo asked, still grinning as he caught Heero's wrists. "I'd never have expected you to be so playful."

"I'm not," Heero murmured, nuzzling the longhaired boy's neck. "I just like the way you laugh."


	21. S Class

Category: AU, Yaoi, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho  
Warnings: none  
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, KuramaxHiei, will be 6x5  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Complete Archive: www . arigatomina . com 

**G-men**

_Part 21: S class_

Young people dotted the hall when Quatre and Zechs left the room, the blonde boy pausing to lock the door securely.

"She should be under for a few hours," Quatre murmured.

He slid the key into his pocket and glanced back at Zechs. The white-haired man nodded, pale blue eyes meeting his for a second before shifting to the students passing behind them.

Turning to face the hall, Quatre noted the various uniforms the kids were wearing. They seemed to range in age, but he didn't see any that looked over twenty. They were dressed in similar outfits, different colors distinguishing them in a way he didn't understand yet.

None of the students paid them much attention, vague glances the most they received. The kids seemed on their way to classes.

"Do you think this school has regular classes besides Relena's lectures?" asked Quatre.

"I assume so."

Zechs nodded, his eyes locking on a girl with pale blue hair. She was standing about six feet away, watching him with wide eyes. A glance to Quatre proved that the boy had noticed her as well.

She wasn't wearing one of the uniforms, but a pale blue dress of sorts that looked rather like a robe. She moved forward, pausing with a few feet between them. She barely reached Zechs' chest. He had an urge to bend down to her level, her smile was so sweet.

"I don't mean to be rude," the girl said in a soft voice. "But you are Relena-dono's brother, aren't you?"

"Yes," said Zechs.

His eyes caught on her hands where they were clasped near her neck. They were small and delicate, very pale, even against her dress. It made him wonder if she could be as young as she looked.

"It's wonderful to meet you," she said. "I am Yukina. Your sister speaks of you often. She looked so pleased this morning. She asked me to show you around the school."

"I appreciate that," Zechs said quickly. "But I really need to speak with my comrades first. Perhaps later this afternoon?"

The girl smiled at him and he shivered suddenly, feeling as if a cold waft of air brushed through his hair.

"Of course," said Yukina. "I should have thought of that. When you are ready, simply tell Relena-dono and she will call me."

The man looked relieved and she glanced to the blonde boy beside him.

"I'm sorry," said Quatre. He introducing himself and extending a hand to her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Yukina."

The girl smiled at him and brushed her fingertips over his hand. His eyes widened at the cool gesture.

"Ice," Yukina murmured. She ducked her head for a moment before smiling at the surprised boy. "Don't let it bother you."

"I was just surprised," Quatre said quickly. A light, embarrassed flush darkened his cheeks.

"I will let you get to your comrades," she told Zechs. With a polite nod to both of them, she smiled again moved off down the hall.

"I forget that the students are all mutants," Quatre muttered. He felt as if he'd insulted her, and he stared down at his shoes in self-reproach.

"She took it well," Zechs reassured him. "Come on, we obviously aren't going to be left to our own devices for long. We'd better tell the others what we've learned."

.-.

"No one noticed when we came in," said Quatre.

They had moved to the cafeteria and were seated at an empty table. Lunch seemed to be scheduled at different times for students since there weren't that many in the wide room.

"One girl did look like she was going to introduce herself," said Quatre, "but Zechs caught her before she got the chance. We probably shouldn't have used Duo's form."

"Hey," Duo taunted. "Can I help it if girls are attracted to me?" Heero shot him a glare and he smirked. "Besides, you had to use me. After all, with me invisible, we didn't have to worry about two of me walking around."

"Yes," said Quatre, "I know. We have her secure in Duo's room and she should sleep for a while. I was able to make her change shapes easily, but the actual questioning was more difficult. She's been a member of OZ since she was young."

His expression dropped and he shook his head. "She went through a lot of pain, just like the rest of us. She hid her ability at first, when she joined OZ, but Treize noticed it."

"He really did a number on her," said Zechs. He took over, knowing Quatre would have trouble with it. "I'm beginning to suspect Treize is a mutant himself, with all of the brainwashing he did. She's completely dedicated to him, but Quatre found a softer side that she's buried since meeting him. Treize convinced her that helping OZ isn't the same as betraying mutants. They're going after the mutants who abuse their powers and make normal humans hate them. At least, that's what he's told her. As far as we can tell, she believes everything he said."

"Wait," Duo interrupted. "You said Treize could be a mutant? Where do you get that from?"

"When I was in OZ," said Zechs, "I couldn't read anything from him. I thought it was because he buried things too deeply. Some humans are like that, where even the strongest telepaths can't read them." Quatre nodded when he glanced at the boy and he met Duo's disbelieving gaze easier. "He could also be a mutant. If that's the case, then it would certainly explain why I find two people inside Une."

"What do you mean?" asked Wufei. "Two people?"

"Split personalities?" asked Heero.

"Yes," said Zechs, "but it's more than that. It's as if there are two entirely separate people. I didn't understand at first, but Quatre kept getting different answers to the same questions. I get the feeling she locked herself away after she met Treize. That part of her doesn't remember anything past the time when she entered OZ."

"You've obviously dissected her," said Heero. He ignored the way Quatre winced at his choice of words. "And you've shown you can control her. What about the idea?"

"The soft side of her would do it willingly," said Quatre. "But I don't think she can revert to that side on her own."

"Can you help her?" asked Trowa.

"I could try," said Quatre. "I can force her to be honest and I can make her do things, but I don't think I could control her thoughts. Plus, I still don't know what my range is. Imagine if we got her into a base only to have her get out of my range. I don't think that idea would work."

"We can test your range," Heero reminded him. "We do need to know what OZ is doing now. I doubt they will remain inactive just because we found Une."

"But how would I test it?" asked Quatre. "I couldn't use Une. Once she got out of my range she could turn into anyone. We could find her again, but who knows how many students might get hurt. It's too dangerous. And it couldn't be one of us unless the person were being made to do something he wouldn't do voluntarily. Otherwise we wouldn't know if he were doing it because he was in my range, or because he chose to. I may not know when my power stops working. I haven't tried anything like that."

"You wouldn't use Une," Heero murmured.

His expression changed suddenly and he turned his eyes to Duo. The boy frowned, blinking at him in confusion.

Heero smirked. "This shouldn't hurt anybody..."

.-.

They were gathered on the wide green lawn outside the school, Quatre seated beneath a shade tree. The others were relaxed around him, seemingly enjoying the nice weather. But their eyes were on the blonde boy, his expression one of concentration and worry.

"He's really angry," Quatre commented.

He peeked at Heero for a second, then closed his eyes again. He'd yet to have any trouble controlling Duo, but he was expecting the boy to get out of his range any minute now.

"That boy nearly followed him into the woods," said Quatre. "I'm surprised so many people came up to him."

"Duo looks friendly," said Wufei. "The people in the town seem to be open, so they probably expected him to be as friendly as he looks. They couldn't know better."

"I'm surprised he didn't fight more," Heero commented.

"Well, he's not going along with it," Quatre assured them. "Ever so often he tries to break my control. I almost wish he wouldn't."

"He's stubborn," said Wufei. "That's the reason he was the best choice. After all, he would never willingly walk through that town alone, with so many people looking at him."

"The woods are thick," Quatre murmured. "He doesn't see anyone, but there are paths. I'm making him take the one that looks used the most."

"No one ever lived in those," said Zechs. "They stretch out for over twenty miles before the border and farther after that. There used to be a fence separating us from the neighboring country. Nothing complicated, just wire. If he reaches that, we'll have to try somewhere else. We don't want to risk him going outside the kingdom."

"I doubt my control stretches _that_ far," Quatre said drolly. "Besides, it would be dark by the time he got there. We can't expect him to just keep going."

Silence passed for a few minutes before Zechs laughed suddenly. Blinking, he glanced at Quatre's wry smile.

"He just passed your reach," said Zechs. "He has some of the loudest thoughts I've ever heard."

"Yes," Quatre smiled, "I'm afraid so. He just turned invisible again. But...he's still walking." Frowning, Quatre glanced at Heero. "He's thinking that he'll come back once he's cooled down. I told you he was angry."

"He'll get over it," said Wufei with a smirk. "Besides, he can come back in an instant, right? He's been practicing his teleportation skills, hasn't he?"

Heero had a funny expression and Wufei raised an eyebrow at the boy.

"What?" asked Wufei.

"He's been practicing," said Heero. He was careful not to meet the boy's gaze.

Two groans made Heero lift his head and he stared at Quatre's grimace, turning to see the same look of pain on Zechs's face.

"What's happening?" asked Heero.

Quatre took a deep breath, wiping a hand over his forehead. His eyes were wide when he exchanged a look with Zechs.

"It broke," said Quatre. "It hurts to try and find him now."

"A barrier of some kind," Zechs whispered. He turned to look in the direction Duo had gone in. "Maybe a rogue mutant or something. This could be bad."

"I'll go," Trowa said sharply.

"We all go," said Heero. "This was supposed to be a secure country."

Zechs dropped his eyes with a glare, but Heero shook his head.

"I'm not blaming you," said Heero. "There are too many mutants here, too many bystanders to have a battle. Damn it."

.-.

It sounded like a dinosaur was tearing the forest apart, without the roars. Duo could hear trees falling, the air seeming to shudder around him.

His first impulse was to turn right around and go in the opposite direction, but he wasn't one to run away. If it were a battle, then the others would know what he was thinking. And besides that, it wasn't as if he could be seen.

The anger he'd felt when he finally got free of Quatre's control was forgotten now. Duo ran up the hill, stumbling a bit on the thick undergrowth. The path had turned earlier and he'd kept going straight. Now he had to force his way through bushes and thorns, wondering why anyone would choose the forest for a fight. Then he reached the crest of the hill and found himself looking down at a valley that was alive with action.

His eyes widened and he pressed himself against a seemingly sturdy tree, forgetting the fact that he couldn't be seen and didn't need to hide.

Thick vines were churning over the ground, reaching up in too many blades to count. They darted around the valley, tearing through trees in a mindless rage.

Duo stared, unable to follow the fast movement.

A rocky bluff separated him from the ground below. It wasn't until a number of those thick vines crashed into the rock that he saw them clearly. They were covered in what looked like thorns the size of swords and they writhed, obviously struggling to get free of the rock they were imbedded in.

If he hadn't been frozen in shock, Duo would have jerked back when a dark flash lighted on the cluster of vines.

A black clothed figure crouched for a split second, a bright blade cutting through the vines before it disappeared again. Points formed on the cut sections and the plants arched after the figure.

Duo didn't know what he was seeing, but he leaned around the side of the tree, his eyes flying over the valley. He could barely make out the person he'd seen. Heero had blinding speed, but Duo had never actually _seen_ it. Still, he thought this was similar.

The black clothed person was a constantly moving flash that lighted on limbs in the remaining trees, darting off again when the vines pursued. It seemed a useless evasion, though. Each time the figure cut the thick green vines, more took their place, originating from the ground itself.

The valley was nearly demolished by the time the figure was caught. Duo clenched his fists when he saw those vines wrap around the black clothed boy.

He couldn't see clearly from so far above, but the person was small and he remembered those sharp thorns and how they'd torn through the trees. Why he assumed the person wasn't an enemy he didn't know, but he ached to be able to do something to help.

The boy swiped a slim sword at the vines circling his waist but it was caught by a smaller vine and jerked from his grasp.

"What now?" a voice taunted. "Black flame is useless against these plants."

Duo's eyes snapped toward the source of that soft comment. He found himself staring at a figure perched in one of the few remaining trees across the valley from him. For a second he squinted, then his mouth fell open as he realized the person had a tail. It looked like a girl from so far away. He could make out long silver-white hair and an odd white outfit. The person was standing on a limb, arms folded.

"Ch'."

The black-clothed figure tossed his head and Duo realized his right arm was free. Vines had caught the other arm, but his right one lifted, a black shadow writhing around it as the loose sleeve fell back.

Duo didn't know what it was but he jerked back when a wave of heat hit him. Black fire seemed to erupt around the small boy. The darkness obscured him from view, a strange green spark barely visible. Then the ground shook around him and Duo fell back, his hands digging into dead leaves.

A loud roar made him clutch his ears and he thought again of the dinosaur he'd imagined before. He was on his back, and his eyes widened when a pillar of black shot up into the sky before rushing back down. The leaves of the tree he'd been leaning against writhed for a second before the heat dissipated suddenly, an oddly calm burning sound dying out.

After another moment, he broke his paralysis and pushed to his knees, looking back into the valley. Everything looked the same except the plants were bits of ash, only the tree the white-clothed figure was in had been left untouched. The boy was still bound by vines, but Duo could hear a low laughter.

"Is that the best you can do? Not a scratch."

Black fire blazed around the small male and the vines were ripped apart suddenly.

What happened next was too fast for Duo to follow, but his eyes locked on the bits of green that showered to the ground. The boy lighted on the ground briefly, snatching up the fallen sword before darting to the tree. He stopped with his blade pointed at the other's throat. Duo blinked.

"You're no fun this way," the white-clothed figure murmured. He didn't seem to mind the blade that was aimed at his neck. "You gave in so easily, too."

"We have company."

Duo's throat went dry when the black-haired boy turned suddenly, left hand raised and pointing directly at him. It was then that he saw the glowing green spot on the boy's forehead and he would have moved back if his body hadn't frozen. He was visible before he had a chance to think about it and his muscles relaxed suddenly, having clenched on their own.

The boy disappeared from the tree and reappeared in front of him. Duo jerked back, staring down into two wide red eyes and a third dark blue one that glared out of the short boy's forehead.

"Kisama," the short boy whispered.

"What are you doing out here?" another voice asked.

Duo's head jerked to the side and he blinked as a tall boy with long red hair stepped out from behind the tree next to him. This boy was wearing a pale magenta outfit, bright green eyes looking him over without a hint of malice.

But the short one still held that sword. Duo blinked. "I..."

"Ch'," the short one muttered, "he's only level A."

Duo frowned at the way that comment was tossed and he relaxed enough to be angry. The short boy's sword had disappeared behind his back.

"Hiei, that's cruel," the tall boy said in rebuke.

Moving forward, the red-haired boy held a hand out to Duo, a slight smile playing with his lips.

"I'm Kurama," he said. "You must be new to this kingdom if you didn't know not to come out here."

"Yeah," said Duo. He shook the boy's hand dazedly. "The name's Duo. What just happened?"

"A little training exercise," Kurama said lightly.

He stepping past Duo to crouch near the shorter boy.

Looking at them, Duo found his gaze drawn to that single blue eye, barely taking in the shorter boy's spiked black hair. That eye was staring at him, he was sure of it, and it had to be the creepiest feeling he'd ever had.

Kurama had pulled a white cloth from inside his vest and he tied it around Hiei's forehead, shutting the eye from view. That simple movement was a great relief and Duo let out a small sigh.

"You guys are students at the school, then?" asked Duo.

"I am." Kurama nodded, glancing at the longhaired boy. "I'm surprised Relena-dono didn't tell you during orientation. This is our training area. No one else is allowed out here until four at the latest."

"Sorry," Duo muttered. "I missed the orientation."

Scratching the back of his neck, Duo shifted, wondering why he felt as if he'd walked into a girls' restroom and was being reprimanded.

"No harm done," Kurama said softly.

He handed a roll of bandage to the short boy before straightening and facing Duo.

"It's a good idea not to go more than a mile into the woods, though. We're in charge of the perimeter and we don't want students getting harmed if there's an attack."

"Attack?" asked Duo. "I thought this was a pacifist nation..."

The black-haired boy snorted and Duo found himself very irritated by the sound. It made him feel like an idiot.

"Mutants from around the world gather here," said Hiei, " and you think no one targets the place? Baka."

Duo's jaw hurt from the way his teeth were clenched and he glared at the short boy. That word was one Heero could use for him, no one else. Thinking of the others, he wondered if they had heard his thoughts earlier. He had to have been thinking loudly.

As if the two heard him, the black-haired boy jerked suddenly, looking at him for a second before lifting the band up so that third eye sparked.

"Five males," said Hiei, "A class."

"Friends of mine," Duo said quickly. He saw that the boy's free hand was curved over his shoulder and remembered the sword. "They're telepaths," he said, "so they must be worried about me."

"They couldn't have heard you," Kurama said with a shake of his head. "Hiei blocks out any mental searches."

A hand fell on Duo's shoulder suddenly and he jumped, whirling to give Heero a dark glare.

"You took five years off my life!" Duo blurted.

"Friends of yours?" asked Heero. His voice was cold as he looked at the two strangers.

Footsteps sounded behind him and he gave a glance to Quatre and Zechs, noting their pained expressions. Trowa landed beside him and he turned his gaze back to the two teens.

"Maybe," Duo said slowly. Kurama smiled and he felt a bit guilty. "Yeah, they go to the school. This is Kurama and..."

"Hiei," said Kurama.

Stepping to Heero, he extended a hand in greeting. His lips twitched when the dark haired boy made no move to accept it. Then the blonde boy moved forward and he nodded to him.

"Your comrade stepped into our training area," said Kurama.

"We were worried," said Quatre.

His eyes caught on the black-haired boy. The teen pulled a white band down to cover a third, blue eye. Quatre felt a sudden pressure lift from his mind. Obviously that was the reason he'd been unable to read Duo earlier.

"For good reason," said Kurama, "but no harm was done."

A soft sigh reached him and he turned, moving back to Hiei. The boy was still glaring, and Kurama followed his gaze to the tall white-haired man.

"You're Relena-dono's brother," Kurama noted.

"Does everyone know what I look like?" asked Zechs. He raised an eyebrow in exasperation. "You're the second person to ask me that in only a couple of hours."

"He said they defend the kingdom from attack," Duo said suddenly. Zechs shot him an incredulous look, and he nodded. "Seriously."

"She keeps a picture of you in her office," said Kurama. "But we haven't spoken to her today. I didn't realize you had come back."

"This country has a defense," Zechs interrupted. "Have there been attacks?"

"No," said Kurama. "But I really am not at liberty to discuss the details without Relena-dono's permission."

Another sigh sounded and Kurama glanced down, smiling at Hiei's irritated expression. The black-haired boy glared at him then promptly fell over.

"Is he all right?" asked Quatre.

He rushed forward to crouch next to Kurama. The short boy's eyes were closed and he didn't move, but he was breathing deeply.

"I can heal him," Zechs offered.

The red-haired boy shook his head and Zechs frowned at him.

"Hiei doesn't like to be touched," said Kurama. "Don't worry, though, he isn't injured. He just needs to sleep for a few hours."

Kurama's lips twitched and he lifted the small roll of bandage. His friend hadn't used it, too distracted by the new students' arrival. Pushing back the long sleeve of Hiei's black cloak, he sat down, wrapping the boy's right arm.

The blonde boy was still crouched beside him and he glanced over at him.

"You didn't introduce yourselves," said Kurama.

"Oh," Quatre said softly. He moved back and nodded to the others. "This is Trowa, Wufei, and Heero. I'm Quatre."

"It's nice to meet you," Kurama said softly.  
Duo frowned, looking at the ground. He felt as if he were forgetting something and he glanced toward the valley for a second before his eyes widened.

"Kurama!" said Duo. "Who was that other person?"

The red-haired boy was putting the roll of bandage into his vest and he blinked at him.

"I saw someone else," said Duo, "earlier, when he was fighting. White hair, a tail."

"Heh." Smiling, Kurama lifted Hiei and stood, tilting his head as he looked at the violet-eyed boy. "That was me."

"What?" Duo frowned, staring at the boy's red hair and magenta clothing. "No, he was-"

"Just me," said Kurama. "I don't have the ability to control plants capable of challenging Hiei unless I use that form. He _is_ an S class, you know."

Heero let out a sharp breath and Kurama blinked at him, taken back by the glare in those dark blue eyes.

"S class?" Heero whispered. His hands curled into fists. "There is no S class."

"Didn't you know?" asked Kurama. "I admit, Hiei was the first I met besides myself, and I'm at the bottom of the level. Don't worry, you'll learn more after you take classes here. Relena-dono is good about teaching mutants more about themselves."

Kurama blinked when the boy continued to stare at him. He shifted Hiei a bit, glancing at his watch.

"I need to take him back now," said Kurama. "If you like, I can tell you a bit about classes on the way. Duo said you missed your orientation."

"We're not students," said Zechs.

He ignored the warning look Heero shot him. If his sister actually used the two boys as defense, then there was no way she'd be shocked to hear of their own actions.

A glance at the sleeping boy reminded him of how young he looked. The red-haired one was a bit taller than Trowa and he could have been eighteen. But the shorter one didn't look a day over twelve. Zechs had trouble believing Relena would use them, but it was obvious that she had.

"We're taking shelter here," said Zechs.

"Ah," Kurama smirked. "In the pacifist nation?" He smiled, glancing at Duo as he remembered the boy's surprise. "Then you picked the best place. But I suppose you kept this from Relena-dono, am I right? You shouldn't have. Come, I really should go back."

He walked past them, nodding to Wufei when the boy moved aside to let him through. After a few steps, he could hear them following.

"Heero, you aren't going to believe what I saw back there," Duo whispered.

Heero still looked angry and stunned, taken back by the knowledge of a level beyond A class. Duo hadn't actually thought much about classes himself. It was common knowledge that normal humans ranked mutants according to their abilities. He'd never known any other mutants, so he'd never worried about it.

"That guy has to be just as fast as you are," said Duo.

Dark blue eyes turned to him and Duo smiled, putting an arm around Heero's waist. It was reassuring that the boy didn't shrug him off, but he could feel how tense those muscles were.

"I really don't think you should be angry, Heero. Just think, they're mutants stronger than us. And they're friends. It's good news."

"He's right," Zechs murmured. He slowed down so he flanked them. "Obviously we _do_ have something to learn at this school."

Wufei glanced back at him and Zechs nodded when the boy gestured toward Kurama. Quatre was talking to the boy, Trowa next to him.

"You can't read lips from back here," said Zechs. "Come on, Heero."

"I hate this," Heero muttered. "How could we not know there was an S class? It's infuriating."

"But we know now," said Duo. He squeezed Heero's waist and smiled when he glanced at him. "Just think, you were supposed to gather a team of powerful mutants. I'd say those two would make good recruits, right?"

A glint sparked in those dark blue eyes and he smirked when Heero moved away suddenly, joining the others.

Glancing at Zechs, Duo shrugged.

"You just have to know how to work him," said Duo. His expression was wise, as if he knew everything about how to push Heero's buttons. "Make it a mission and he's all over it."

_**.-.  
TBC**_

_**Notes-  
**For those who don't know, Hiei, Kurama, and Yukina are from Yu Yu Hakusho. This fic needed a boost to get it rolling again so I'm incorporating a new obsession into it. I apologize if that bothers anyone, but I like the idea. Also, if you don't know the series, it shouldn't matter much. It's an alternate universe so I'll develop the characters enough you shouldn't have to know the series. If you do know it and have problems with my characterizations, remember, it's an alternate universe fic. It will remain mostly a GW fic since the majority of the characters are from that series, I'm just giving another couple to the mix._


	22. Talents

**_Part 22: Talents_**

They seemed to reach the town quicker than Duo remembered, and he was surprised to notice the people who'd paid such interested attention to him before glanced away from them now. It wasn't that they weren't noticed, considering they walked down the sidewalk of the main road leading up to the manor. But people outside the buildings were careful not to pay them any mind. Those walking down the street toward them moved to the other side.

Rather than appreciating it, Duo thought they were being rather rude. A glance toward Kurama showed it was nothing unusual, the red-haired boy leading the group.

"The lower levels haven't ever been assigned letters as far as I know," Kurama was saying. His bright green eyes were directed at Quatre. "Mutants levels one through six generally have a slight talent, nothing they can control. Usually, they don't even realize they _are_ mutants. And you know seven through ten, right?"

"Ten being A," said Quatre. "But I've never heard of something above that."

Heero was a few steps behind them and he exchanged a quick glance with the boy, knowing he was listening carefully.

"It's not just you," Kurama told him. "Relena-dono hadn't heard of it either, when we first came here. Sometimes I wonder if it isn't a level Hiei made up." He smirked suddenly, his eyes dropping to the boy in his arms. "But I can't imagine him doing that. No, I think there is a definite level above A, and Hiei calls it S level. I don't know where he first heard it, but I'm confident it's real. There's a gap between A and S, and he's definitely jumped it. You know that level A mutants have multiple talents, as level B have mastered talents? Level S is different. It isn't a level you're born with."

"What do you mean?" asked Duo. "Mutants are born with their abilities"  
"I know," said Kurama. He nodded, glancing back at him. "I was born with the ability to control plants. When I started, I could make them grow, from a seed to a full grown tree in minutes. But I couldn't do more than that until I practiced. Now I can change my shape to a form that allows me to create plants that don't exist, rather than just manipulating seedlings. Maybe I was born with the potential, but I had to work hard to develop the power. That is when I moved from A to S."

"So this level means multiple talents, but mastered," said Heero. His expression lost that pinched look as he thought about it. "Then all we have to do is to master our abilities? It's too easy."

"You make it sound easy," Kurama said lightly, "but you're still an A level mutant. You talk as if you've mastered your talents, but Hiei said you were A level. Maybe you have something more you haven't tapped into."

The dark-haired boy gave him a glare but he shrugged, facing forward again.

"That guy said we were A before he even saw us," said Duo.

He smirked, his eyes shifting over the sleeping boy. Asleep, Hiei looked nothing like the short fighter who'd held a sword on him earlier. Duo wondered what made him the expert.

"How would he know so much about us," asked Duo, "or about classes, for that matter?"

"He's good at reading those things," said Kurama. He turned to direct his gaze at Zechs. "You said you were seeking shelter here. Are you rebels, then? I heard there were a few mutants attacking OZ. Of course, I _did_ notice that Duo looked familiar."

The longhaired boy's eyes widened and Kurama nodded.

"I've seen your picture before, though it took me a bit to realize where. I admit, I'm surprised to learn that Relena-dono's brother is one of the rebels."

"As opposed to being a pacifist," said Zechs. "I haven't been in this kingdom in years."

"I know," Kurama said with a nod. "And as people attacking OZ, I'm sure the idea of pacifism is hard to accept. You have to realize that only a few of the students here are level B, the rest below that. Any resistance they might put up would only get them killed. Relena-dono gives them an outlet for their frustration, a place to live in peace. It isn't just a fanciful notion, you know. She doesn't just teach them to accept their lot, she's working to unite them so a peaceful solution might be reached."

Quatre frowned, glancing back at his friends before meeting the green-eyed boy's gaze. "She doesn't really believe OZ will let mutants join normal society, does she? It's a nice idea, please don't get me wrong, but it's not likely."

"You might be surprised at how much can be accomplished through discussion," Kurama told him. He wasn't bothered by the boy's skepticism. "The Sanq kingdom has quite a reputation among the neighboring countries. Leaders listen to Relena-dono as if she had some mutant ability of manipulation. Even those with inherent fear of mutants are willing to give her ideas a chance. And she isn't so foolish as to think things can be changed with complete pacifism."

Zechs blinked at him and he smiled at the man, understanding his surprise.

"Relena-dono did think that at first," said Kurama, "but she realizes now that the country will have to be able to defend itself. Talking about peace is useless if OZ could just come in and kill all of the mutants in one blow. She knows that."

Duo shook his head, smirking at Heero. "And here I figured she was just sitting around talking about peace as if the rest of the world didn't exist. I guess I had pacifists dubbed wrong."

"No," Zechs said sharply. "My father did that. We had a small defense to be called up in case of an attack, but it wasn't something he actually took seriously. Where did Relena get the idea of a defense using mutants?" Kurama glanced over his shoulder and Zechs shook his head. "She never believed there was an appropriate time for violence, no matter what. She always thought discussion could solve anything."

"Did she?" asked Kurama.

They were moving up the steep hill directly beneath the manor and Kurama shifted Hiei higher so the boy's black head lay over his shoulder.

"I haven't known her that long," Kurama admitted. "But it sounds as if you're describing Yukina-chan, not Relena-dono. Relena-dono despises violence just as much, but she accepts that sometimes it's unavoidable. All she hopes is to keep the violence limited to as few people as possible. Which is why the other students stay clear of the border of the country. They can be taught to control their powers and how to fight for peace without violence. We make sure they have the chance to do that."

"But you're guarding the country against OZ," Duo put in. "Right? Don't you think it's a waste of time to sit around here and wait for OZ to attack when you could be out there getting them first?"

"Like the six of you," said Kurama. His lips curved into a slight smile. "But where has your fight led you?"

Silence met him and he ducked his head, closing his eyes for a moment before quickening his pace.

"The rightful heir to this kingdom is Milliardo Peacecraft," said Kurama. "But if you plan to stage your attacks from within this kingdom, I'd ask that you tell Relena-dono first. We should be prepared for the inevitable retaliation. It's only a matter of time before they realize where you are."

Wufei's eyes narrowed when Zechs' face darkened.

"We weren't planning to attack from within the Sanq kingdom," said Wufei. Kurama gave him a surprised look and he frowned. "We just needed a place to hide for a while."

"I wasn't saying it was a bad idea," Kurama commented. "Attacking and then retreating into the Sanq kingdom would give you safety. And so long as we're notified, we can guard the perimeter from any retaliation. I just meant that you should discuss your plans with Relena-dono."

The blonde boy beside him was shaking his head and Kurama sighed, smiling at Quatre.

"You really weren't going to do anything except hide here, were you. I should have known. I really wish people would stop hearing the word 'pacifism' and automatically linking it with weak. I was giving you my support."

"Your support?" asked Quatre.

His eyes widened and he glanced to the side, meeting Trowa's gaze. The tall boy gave him a slight nod and he turned back to Kurama.

"You mean in our fight against OZ?" asked Quatre.

"Hiei won't leave this country," said Kurama, "not with Yukina-chan here. So I'm bound to its defense. But Relena-dono would support you, I'm sure of it. Don't disregard the idea, even if it didn't occur to you before. The Sanq kingdom is the safest place for mutants right now, even if you're hiding in the most obvious spot."

They'd reached the yard and Kurama stopped, turning to face the others.

"If you want to discus this," said Kurama, "just speak to Relena-dono. She'll have your voice recorded for our area."

"Your area?" asked Duo. His eyes widened for a second before he scowled. "You have your own area?"

"Actually," said Kurama, "it's sectioned off for students learning to master certain abilities. We can't have just any student wandering in at odd times, too dangerous. I'm sure you'll see it eventually, if Yukina-chan gives you a tour. That's usually the first thing for new students, even if you aren't official students."

Zechs blinked suddenly and Kurama raised an eyebrow at him.

"I know who you're talking about," said Zechs. His gaze shifting to Quatre. "The girl, earlier."

"Oh," said Quatre. "Miss Yukina, I remember. You promised to take a tour with her this afternoon."

"You're a bit late," Kurama admitted, "but she won't mind. Just go to Relena-dono's office. I'll see you later, ne?"

The blonde boy nodded and he turned, greeting a student before entering the wide doors.

"This is getting complicated," Zechs muttered. "I definitely didn't expect this trip to be like this."

"But it's better than what you expected," Wufei commented. His eyes glinting when Zechs gave a reluctant nod.

"I should check on Une," Quatre said suddenly. He blinked and glanced down at his watch. "She's sure to be hungry when she wakes up."

"We can bring her a tray of food," said Trowa. "I'll go with you."

"I'm going to speak to Relena," said Zechs.

He lifting his chin as if he where steeling himself to the confrontation. Duo grinned at him, and Zechs sighed.

"There's no point putting it off," said Zechs. "I obviously had the wrong idea about this place, and I want to know more about those two."

He nodded toward the door Kurama had gone through.

"We'll go with you," Heero said sharply.

He exchanged a quick glance with Wufei, who also nodded.

"Get us when you decide to take the tour," said Quatre. "We should all know our way around this place."

Zechs nodded to him and he turned, entering the building with Trowa.

.-.

It was his room, but Duo had given the key to Quatre, so he tapped on the door, waiting in the hall. He wondered briefly if anyone noticing him would think it odd that he had to knock on his own door, but he doubted anyone realized it was his room. To hear Relena talk about her school, they didn't have to worry about busybodies. And she already knew of their extra guest.

Trowa opened the door and Duo stepped inside, his eyes flying over the bed and the blonde boy seated on it.

"Where is she?" he asked.

Tossing his head toward the closed bathroom door, Quatre sighed. "In there. She's been in there since I woke her up, but she isn't hurting anything. I don't think it's a good idea to keep putting her to sleep. It's not good for her, and she doesn't have anything to pick the lock if we break this side. She could conceivably try and break the door down, but I don't think she'll try now that she knows where she is."

"You told her?" asked Duo.

Quatre looked depressed, but Duo couldn't hide his uncertain expression. Une had, after all, aligned herself with OZ, the ones determined to kill mutants. And now she knew she was in a school full of mutants.

"You forget," Quatre said softly. He stepped to the door and waved Duo toward the hall. "She worked for OZ convinced that she was only going after rogue mutants. She's upset and confused to be around so many young ones who've never done anything wrong."

Duo was raising an eyebrow at him, but Quatre didn't speak until they were outside the room.

"Trowa and I have both searched her mind," said Quatre. "She isn't faking it. She honestly has no desire to leave the room. She's afraid one of the students might see her. The idea of them learning peaceful ways eliminates them as targets for her. She wouldn't harm them even if she did escape. We're her only enemies here."

Duo shook his head as Quatre locked the door.

"Well," Duo murmured, "I guess that makes it easier. Zechs told Relena about her, and Relena feels sorry for her. She wasn't upset that we were holding a hostage so much as she was angry at OZ for brainwashing her like they did." He smirked, waving the boys in the direction of Relena's office, where the others were waiting. "She gave us her full support as far as Une's concerned. Of course, we didn't mention Kurama's offer, just that we were planning to stay for a while to work on Une."

"I don't think Zechs would take him up on that offer," said Quatre. "But Heero wanted to ask about those two boys. Did Miss Relena tell you about them?"

"Not a word," said Duo. "She just suggested we ask them our questions, and said that it wasn't her place. She was very...polite and careful about it, too. I guess she was respecting their privacy, or something."

They'd reached the doors to Relena's office and he nodded to Heero.

"Une's doing better than we expected," said Duo. "Looks like she'll stay in the room willingly, believe it or not."

Heero frowned at him, but he shrugged, his eyes moving to Zechs. The white-haired man was looking down the hall and Duo blinked as he spotted a small girl. She was rather short and timid looking, but she smiled when she spotted Zechs, her wide red eyes blinking up at them.

Stepping forward, Zechs nodded to the girl and glanced back to the others. "This is Miss Yukina."

"Just Yukina," the girl said with a smile. "I expected you sooner, but Relena-dono said you were busy."

Zechs nodded and introduced the others to her. He noted that she didn't offer her hand, though he remembered she'd reciprocated Quatre's gesture before. Her talent had been ice, and he could feel that slight chill in the air as he stood closer to her. But her smile was very warm.

"We'd be grateful for a tour of the manor," said Zechs. "An acquaintance of yours, Kurama, mentioned an area for special students. Relena said we could have access to it."

"You've met Kurama-san?" asked Yukina. Her smile faded for a second before coming back just as strong. "We'll go by there and you can voice-print yourselves. It's very simple, but only a few of us have the key to the computer room in order to gain access. I'm sure if Relena-dono were not so busy, she would take you herself."

Turning, she glanced back to make sure they were following before nodding toward the doors lining the hall.

"I know Relena-dono showed you your rooms last night," she said. "This is the floor for new students. As they stay longer, they're moved up to the other floors. The actual classes are located on the first two floors of the manor." Yukina paused outside a stairwell, her eyes shifting up to Zechs. "You saw them earlier, ne?"

"Yes," Zechs nodded, "but there didn't seem to be many classes going on."

The rooms in question had been mostly empty, the doors left open to show tables or desks.

"Most classes take place in the morning," said Yukina. She led the way downstairs as she spoke. "Attendance is not mandatory, but students go willingly. I've sat in on a few. They're very interesting. You might want to try one. In the afternoon, students usually eat lunch, or go into town. We don't have any sort of curfew, but again, students come here by choice, so we don't need rules like the ones normal schools have. You've seen the cafeteria?"

Duo nodded, smirking at the thought of students going to classes by choice. It almost made him wonder at the sanity of mutants at the school, but he doubted the classes were like normal ones.

"The one on the first floor," said Duo. "Right?"

The pale blue-haired girl smiled and nodded at him and Duo blinked. He couldn't remember anyone else who smiled so much with people she'd just met. But then, he'd never spent time around girls.

"We've seen it," said Duo.

Yukina nodded and sighed as they reached the first floor. "There really isn't much to show here. The yard in the back is mostly used for recreation, and then there's the forest beyond the town. Students like to walk the paths." Her eyes flicked to them and she pursed her lips. "But don't go off the paths, the border isn't too far beyond them and that area isn't for leisure."

"I figured that one out the hard way," Duo smiled. "Walked right in on Kurama's _'training exercise.'_"

"Then that's where you met him," said Yukina. Her eyes widened as she stared at Duo. "It's really very dangerous to be out there. You must be careful."

"I know," Duo nodded, "advice taken."

"Aside from there," Yukina turned, "we have the underground training facilities. A few students go down there, to be trained in mastering their abilities. As Relena-dono said, you'll have access to that, but there are a few rooms used for housing as well as the main gyms. Those are private rooms."

Blinking, she glanced back as Zechs, pausing next to a door near the back of the first floor.

"You might want to move down there," she said slowly, "If you're here long enough."

"We'll take that into consideration," said Zechs.

He nodded and the girl answered with a nod of her own. Then she pulled a small necklace from inside her pale blue robe-like dress, and he blinked down at it. There was a small stone attached to the thin chain. She pressed it into a circular indention in the door, which slid open immediately, revealing a small room filled with computer equipment. Yukina waved them inside.

After pressing a few buttons, Yukina stepped back.

"Just say your names and the computer will record your voices. Then I'll take you to the entrance of the training area."

It took a while, but they finished soon enough and she shrugged.

"We installed this recently," said Yukina. "There was no need before, but a few of the newer students were adventurous and kept sneaking down to watch the training. Kurama-san was adamant that access be limited after that."

Zechs nodded to her and she took them back into the hall, pressing the door shut again. She led them back to the stairwell and stopped before the metal door that stood at the bottom of the stairs. A small speaker system was set up and she pressed the button, her eyes sliding back to them as she smiled.

"Yukina," she said.

The door gave a slight hissing sound, but it opened when the girl pressed on it and Heero nodded, his eyes passing over the small box. It was basic equipment, but more efficient than any key.

He wondered why the girl had used a key for the other room, when they could have had it rigged to voice-code as well. Keys were easily stolen. But he reminded himself that the chances of that happening within the kingdom or the school were slim.

Another staircase was revealed, but it was lined with cement, dull lights barely eating away the shadows.

The girl's steps quickened and Heero was surprised when she didn't wait for them, passing through the door below.

They followed and stopped just inside a large room. Actually, it might not even be called a room, easily as large as the cafeteria above. There were a few doors set into the wall across from them, glass windows showing a small office-like room.

The blue-haired girl moved directly toward it and Heero spotted the red-haired boy inside, seated with his back to the window.

The girl seemed to forget them, but Duo followed quickly enough, not glancing back to see if the others were going to stay just inside the doorway.

Yukina reached the room, tapping lightly on the door but not going inside. Kurama stood and opened it, nodding to them.

"You finally got to give them your tour?" asked Kurama.

He smiled, his eyes dropping to Yukina. The girl shifted, her eyes just a bit wary, and he kept his expression neutral as if he couldn't see her hesitation.

"Hiei is still asleep," said Kurama.

Yukina's smile was brilliant and Duo blinked, staring when the girl rushed past the red-haired boy. Kurama stepped aside and gestured for him to enter, the others right behind him.

"There's room," said Kurama. "This is a rest area."

They moved into the office and Kurama smiled when Duo stopped in surprise, the boy's wide eyes locked on Yukina. The pale-haired girl was sitting next to the bench Hiei was lying on, her face buried against his neck as she hugged him.

"Don't mind them," Kurama murmured. "It's the only time she can show her affection."

The girl in question glanced up, a bright blush marring her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," Yukina said quickly. Her face was warmed by the eyebrow Duo was raising at her, but she didn't relinquish the warm embrace. "I don't see my brother very often..."

"We mostly spend our time training or teaching students," Kurama explained. Zechs was the last to enter and he nodded when the man closed the door. "But we aren't expecting any students this evening so we trained outside, today."

"You teach here?" asked Duo.

There were two long tables in the room and he took a chair next to Heero, across from the one Kurama had been sitting in before. It gave him a nice view of the room they'd come through earlier.

"How old are you?" asked Duo.

"Seventeen," Kurama smiled, "but I don't actually teach classes, not like the teachers upstairs. Mostly, what we do is take students who we think could be stronger. We can't always help, but if they have the potential then we can train them to master their abilities."

His eyes flicked to Heero and he nodded at the boy, remembering his comments from earlier.

"We could definitely help the six of you. If you're level A without any help, you might have the potential to get stronger. But it really depends on what sort of talents you have."

"What about you?" asked Heero.

His eyes narrowed at Kurama's calm expression. He didn't like the confident way the boy spoke, but he disliked the idea of telling their abilities even more. Usually he wouldn't be so careful, but they'd already found one mutant who was willing to turn against them.

"I'm just a controller," said Kurama.

His green eyes glinted at Heero and he had a good idea what was going through the boy's mind. He understood why Heero would be suspicious.

"Plants are my weapons," said Kurama, "and I have the ability to change shapes in order to increase my strength."

His eyes flicked to Hiei and he smiled a bit, watching Yukina stroke the boy's black hair. He almost felt sorry for her, but he couldn't forget that Hiei cared more for his sister than he did for anyone else. That would never change no matter how cold the boy acted around her.

"Hiei has a mess of abilities, though. That's what makes him a higher S class mutant than myself. And as far as I can tell, he's mastered all of them."

"What does he have?" asked Duo. "I know he's fast."

"Very fast," Kurama nodded, "and he's incredibly agile. He can't fly, but he can come very close to it. And he's strong, so don't let his size fool you. His sword isn't just for show, he can cut through steel. He's immune to ice and cold..." Kurama smiled, his eyes flicking to Yukina again. "...and he has a high tolerance for fire. But most of his abilities center around his jagan."

He noticed that Heero's eyes narrowed and he nodded.

"His third eye lets him see things other people miss, allows him to read people and find things. He can also control humans, non-mutants. Recently, he mastered his best ability, his kokoryuuha. Black flame. It's hotter than any fire, and he can send it out in the form of a dragon." The longhaired boy was holding his breath and Kurama smiled, nodding at him. "That's what you saw earlier. Hiei can control the kokoryuuha as well as I can my plants, but he can also use it on himself. As far as we can tell, it makes him invulnerable."

Kurama smiled suddenly, smirking at the boy in question. "Of course, he's comatose for hours after he uses it, but he's getting better. The first few times he tried he was asleep for six hours. We've knocked it down to four since then."

"You said something about him blocking out searches," Duo put in.

He had to hide his irritation. He didn't want to be impressed, but he really couldn't help it.

"Oh," said Kurama, "I almost forgot. That's the effect of his jagan. It doesn't just block out searches, although his mind is closed off from any readers. We've found that anyone with telepathic abilities finds it painful to be near him when he uses it. That's one of the reasons we limit who has access to this area."

Leaning back in his chair, he tilted his head, looking from each of the males.

"And you?" he asked.

"That list makes us sound pathetic," Duo muttered.

Despite his tone, he wasn't as depressed as he sounded. After all, the boy had offered to help them and he for one intended to get stronger if he could.

"I can turn invisible," said Duo, "and I can teleport myself, or anyone I'm holding to a location I've been before." Kurama nodded and Duo smirked. "That's it."

"Those aren't light abilities," said Kurama. He frowned at Duo's disparaging expression. "Considering the uses, you could cause a lot of trouble. I can see why OZ has been looking for you specifically. And with your talents, they'd never find you."

"Maybe," said Duo, "but I've mastered them. How would I get stronger if I've already mastered the talents I have?"

"Speculate for a moment," Kurama told him. He leaned closer to the table, his entire focus latching onto Duo. "You can turn invisible, so I assume whatever you're touching turns invisible as well, right?"

The boy nodded and his eyebrows rose.

"Would you do it?" asked Kurama.

Duo smirked at him for a second then disappeared.

Nodding, Kurama glanced over the seemingly empty chair.

"Enough," he said.

Duo reappeared immediately, resting his chin in one hand.

"You went invisible well enough," said Kurama, "but not everything you touched turned invisible with you."

The boy blinked violet eyes at him and he shook his head, pointing at the chair.

"You were touching the chair, the table, as well as the floor, yet all of those things remained. If you had mastered the talent of turning yourself, and everything you touch invisible, then they would have gone as well."

"Turn the floor invisible?" asked Duo. His wide eyes showed his disbelief. "What would be the point in that?"

"It doesn't matter," said Kurama. "The fact is that you should be able to do it if you wanted to. I imagine you've been turning the things you wear or hold with your hands invisible but not focusing on the other things that are touching you. That makes the difference in using your full potential and how you are now. As for your teleportation, you said you could teleport whatever you were holding. It sounds like the same thing, but what you're really doing is moving yourself, right? You're controlling your body, transporting it from one place to another. I wouldn't be surprised if you could move things without touching them. You might want to experiment on that."

Duo was blinking at him and Kurama raised his hands.

"Now remember, I'm just speculating, throwing out the possibilities the way I would with any other student who came to me. You may not have the potential for the things I've mentioned. I can't say just by looking at you. I don't have Hiei's skill for that sort of thing."

"Maybe not," Zechs murmured, "but you've definitely given food for thought. What advice would you give me? I have the ability to read minds and to heal people. Not much to build on, I can't see any openings for improvement."

"You could try not to make the healing quite so painful," Duo put in. He shot a playful smile over at Zechs.

"If it hurts when you heal," said Kurama, "it might be a flaw in the delivery. I assume you've never experimented with your abilities?"

"No."

"Then that might be a place to start. Also, telepathic abilities often lead to other, similar abilities. I doubt if you can read Hiei's mind, whether he's using the jagan or not. If you wanted to build on your ability to read people, you might want to work on using your powers when he's using his jagan. Although, as I said, it's painful."

"You said Hiei could control non-mutants," said Quatre. "I can control mutants."

"Really?" Kurama blinked, his eyes widening in obvious respect. "And he still read you as A... That's something I've never heard of."

"I guess I could build on my range," Quatre nodded, "but other than that, I haven't had any trouble controlling mutants. I'm also telepathic, although I'm not as strong as Zechs is." He blinked for a moment, glancing at Trowa and then Wufei. "And I can't block out searches. I don't have a mental block."

"And you'd want to work on that," said Kurama. "You obviously see where to improve."

"Yes," said Quatre, "but Trowa is the opposite of me. He has a block like I've never encountered before. And when he lets it down, he can't control his powers."

"What do you have?" asked Kurama.  
"I fly," said Trowa. "Beyond that I don't know. I have no control over my thoughts or actions when I lose hold of the wall I place in my mind."

"He glowed," Wufei put in, "and he had the strength to knock loose a steel door."

Trowa blinked at him and he wondered if the boy didn't remember that. It wouldn't surprise him.

"Bullets," Duo nodded, "we don't know for sure, but he might be impervious to bullets."

"Sounds like a mystery," Kurama said with glinting eyes. "I do like mysteries. If the block you have is strong enough, you might already be an S class. It would be interesting to find someone Hiei's jagan couldn't read. I definitely want to be there when you start experimenting with that power."

"It's painful toward telepaths," said Zechs. His gaze darted to Quatre, but Kurama shook his head.

"I've no telepathic abilities at all," said Kurama, "and Hiei doesn't have to worry about that." He looked at the two remaining boys, his eyes pausing on Heero. "And you?"

"Speed and self-healing," Heero said succinctly. "Nothing more."

"Speed? If you're interested, I think Hiei might actually enjoy a mock battle with someone else who has that ability. I know that doesn't help you improve your talent, but it would be nice to watch." The dark-haired boy frowned at him and Kurama smiled. "As for your other ability, you might try to determine how you heal yourself. That could lead to something else."

"Not very helpful," Duo muttered.

He sighed in disappointment. He didn't think Heero was upset or anything, but he'd expected more advice. Kurama shrugged, and Duo shook his head.

"Oh well," Duo sighed. "Wufei, here, is our elemental."

"You control the weather?" asked Kurama.

Wufei nodded and tilted his head to the side, frowning at the teen.

"I have the ability to block out most searches," said Wufei, "to keep people from locating me. But Trowa and Zechs saw through that. I suppose I could build that block. Other than that, I can control any sort of weather phenomena."

"Lightning could be an excellent weapon," Kurama said brightly. "I'm sure you already know how to make it strike the target you choose, but can you make it curve?" The boy frowned and Kurama nodded. "As a fellow controller, I can tell you that you should be able to curve lightning as easily as you can order it to strike. It could be as mobile as any of my vines, or Hiei's kokoryuuha. I can definitely help you with that. And you can fly, right?"

Wufei's eyes narrowed even more and he scowled. "No."

Kurama blinked at the boy's evident anger.

"You _should_ be able to," he said slowly. "After all, if you control the wind, you should be able to lift yourself with it. Actually controlling such a strong gust might be difficult, but you should be able to fly using the wind."

"I hadn't thought of that." Wufei stared for a second before a slight smile curved his lips and he glanced at Zechs. "Looks like I won't need a hang-glider, after all."

"Kurama-san," a soft voice called.

Yukina smiled when the males looked at her, many of them no doubt had forgotten her presence. "I'm going back up now."

"Right," Kurama nodded.

He stood so he could see the girl out. He paused when she reached the doorway, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"I'll call you next time, Yukina-chan."

"Thank you," Yukina murmured. She gave him a bright smile before slipping away.

Turning back to the others, Kurama shut the door behind him, his eyes glinting. "Don't mention that she was down here, okay?"

A few frowned at him, but he shook his head, his eyes flicking to Hiei. The boy frowned for a second, then abruptly sat up, scowl firmly in place.

"You missed the conversation," Kurama said lightly.

Hiei sniffed as he took the seat beside him, red eyes moving over the six males.

"I'll fill you in," said Kurama.


	23. Preliminaries

_**Part 23: Preliminaries**_

It took about ten minutes for Kurama to recap their different abilities, and the fact that they were currently waging attacks on OZ. Red eyes focused on each of them as their specific talents were described again. Zechs blinked when those red eyes remained on him after Kurama finished.

The small black-haired boy stared at him until he shifted, glancing at Wufei. Wufei shrugged, frowning, and Zechs looked back to Hiei with a frown of his own.

"What?" asked Zechs.

"You're the healer?" asked Hiei.

Kurama had just said as much. Zechs nodded, not sure what to make of Hiei's smirk.

Hiei lifted a hand, pulling off the white scarf wrapped around his neck. He shrugged aside his black cloak, letting it fall over the back of his chair, and drew the sword strapped to his back. Zechs' eyes widened when Hiei set his left arm on the table and swiftly sliced a deep wound.

Quatre let out a surprised cry and Kurama groaned, leaving the table just as blood began to coat the surface.

"You could have done that over a sink," Kurama scolded.

Kurama frowned in disapproval, but Hiei ignored him. He was still watching Zechs.

"Well?" Hiei prompted.

Zech flinched, breaking out of his surprise, and Hiei's smirk widened.

As Zechs moved to heal the boy, Duo shot a doubtful look to Heero, his voice low. "They don't waste any time, do they."

Heero was scowling, and Duo prodded him to get his attention, which he directed to Zechs' angry expression.

"He doesn't look very happy," said Duo.

Kurama moved behind the two boys, lowering his voice as he caught Duo's eye. "That's because Hiei wanted to get a rise out of him. If the problem in his healing is the delivery, we don't want to give him time to think about what he's doing." The violet-eyed boy raised an eyebrow at the towels in his hands and Kurama sighed. "Of course, I wouldn't have done it here, but...that's Hiei."

Circling the table, Kurama frowned at Hiei and dropped the towels with a pointed look. He wasn't about to clean up this mess.

It didn't take long to heal the wound, but Zechs was surprised by the hard muscle that meshed back together beneath his hands. He remembered what Kurama had said as he accepted a towel from the redhead and wiped his palms.

"I'd appreciate it if you gave me some warning, next time," Zechs said to Hiei.

Hiei turned his arm, frowning at it before glancing up to look at Zechs. "It burns when you do that." Kurama shoved the pile of towels toward his hand and Hiei snorted, cleaning his sword before sopping up the blood on the table. "What do you think when you heal like that?"

Taking his seat again, Zechs shook his head.

"I just concentrate on healing the injury," said Zechs. "For a cut like that I imagine the flesh sealing itself."

"Do you envision it?" asked Duo.

He knew what Hiei meant about the burn, and he could see how a person might will something to happen. That was how he turned invisible, after all.

"I mean," said Duo, "do you actually think about a wound healing, or does it happen naturally?"

"I just...focus on the wound and it heals."

"But you touch the person you're healing," said Trowa. "With me, it felt as if you put some sort of energy into the wound. You sent that through your hands."

"Yes," Zechs nodded quickly, "but your wound was internal. I couldn't touch the wound itself, so I had to work from the inside out."

"Then you do send out some sort of energy when you heal," said Kurama. "And you direct that when the wound isn't one you can see?"

"Yes, but I don't know much about how it works," Zechs admitted. "I see from the outside wound what sort of damage there is and I...imagine whatever it is that lets me heal being sent into a person. Then I imagine it being directed to the injury. Once it's there I heal it, the same as I would a flesh wound."

"You didn't just use your hands with Duo," Heero commented. Zechs flushed and Heero raised an eyebrow, his eyes glinting. "Care to explain?"

"Yeah," Duo put in. He scowled over at Zechs. "That was the most painful kiss I've ever had."

He realized what he'd said when Wufei let out a snort, the boy's smirk making his cheeks burn. Zechs was just as red, and Duo leaned back in his chair when he saw the way Kurama was raising a curious eyebrow at him. He abruptly bit his lip and dropped his eyes.

Silence reigned for a few seconds before Kurama gave into a smile.

"Then you...send your healing force orally as well?" asked Kurama. He didn't think a person's face could get any redder than Zechs'. He calmed his smile as well as he could. "He must have had extensive internal damage."

"He did," Zechs said sharply.

He wasn't used to being embarrassed, but he hadn't considered it a kiss when he'd healed Duo. It was simply the quickest way he could think of to put that power into the boy.

"I know the...force comes from inside of me," said Zechs, "so I imagined it flowing into him and to where the wounds were. Then I used my hands to center it on healing the worst ones from the inside out."

"I think I understand," said Kurama. Hiei gave a sharp nod, and Kurama glanced to the side. "You were directing the energy, the healing force through him, and then pulling it back out again as it completed the healing. Then the pain either comes from the healing itself, or the movement of that power."

"The power," Hiei stated. "You put too much out when you heal." Lifting his arm, he inclined his head to where the wound had been. "For a flesh wound, you need less energy. But you used the same amount you would have for an internal wound. Am I wrong?"

"I..." Frowning at the boy, Zechs shifted in his seat. "I'm not sure. I didn't hold anything back, though, I do know that. I don't really think about the amount of energy it takes to heal someone."

"You said you never experimented with your power," Kurama nodded, "so it is understandable. You might want to practice healing minor wounds, watching to see how much effort you use. Then you could try using less effort. Either the wound won't heal, meaning it's always going to burn, or the pain should lessen."

"It's a good idea," Duo murmured. His eyes glinted as he shot a look at Kurama. "But who's he supposed to practice on?"

He wasn't about to forget how Heero had used him as the guinea pig for Quatre's little test. Kurama smiled at him and he blinked when those green eyes darted to the side.

"I think Hiei already volunteered for that," said Kurama. "Didn't you, Hiei."

Kurama's smile widened when Hiei looked at him, appearing startled for a second before glaring sharply. He didn't argue, though. With a satisfied sigh, Kurama pushed back from the table.

"But that can wait until another time," said Kurama. "You weren't planning to leave anytime soon, right?"

Zechs glanced at Heero, who shook his head.

"Good," said Kurama. "We can talk more about your abilities in the morning, if that's all right with you."

That sounded like a dismissal to Duo, even if it were a polite one. He stood with a quick smile. A glance found the others standing as well, and Kurama crossed the room, holding the door for them. It was rather abrupt, but Duo really didn't think the boy was trying to be rude. After all, he'd done the same thing with Yukina earlier.

Duo followed the others as they trailed out of the office, but he paused in the doorway, his eyes sparking at Kurama. "Can I ask you a question?"

Blinking in surprise, Kurama smiled. "Of course."

"Where's the last place you saw my picture?" asked Duo.

The boy looked more curious than anything, but Kurama could tell there was dull anger behind that slight smile. "I think it was in a bus terminal, but I didn't see it there. Hiei had it."

"What?" Duo started in surprise, his gaze darting to the black-haired youth still sitting at the table. Hiei's arms were crossed over his chest and he returned the stare with a slight frown.

Duo blinked. "Why-"

Kurama put a light hand on Duo's shoulder.

"It's wrong," Kurama said softly, "for pictures of mutants to be put up as if they were wanted criminals. That's all." Violet eyes turned to him and he smiled, stepping back. "We'll see you in the morning. I look forward to this, you know. I've never had the opportunity to work with so many A class mutants. You and your friends will wage a magnificent battle, I'm sure of it."

.-.

Dinner was being served when they reached the first level of the school, students filing through the halls in one general direction. They joined the flow and none of them spoke as they went through the serving line. Once they were seated, Heero looked at Zechs.

"I'm going to do a search on those two," said Heero. His voice was quiet in the general murmur of the cafeteria. "If Relena won't tell us anything, then it's the only option."

"You don't trust them?" asked Quatre.

He'd been quiet through the last part of the meeting below, but he didn't see any reason to doubt the two mutants. From what Duo had said, they probably were as powerful as Kurama had claimed. But they'd also seemed able and willing to help them, not only to master their talents, but in their fight against OZ.

Heero frowned at the table, and Quatre glanced to Trowa.

"It's because they didn't ask us anything about ourselves," Trowa explained. "Even if we're all mutants, they should have asked us something about our past besides out talents."

Zechs nodded at Trowa and glanced at Quatre.

"I don't think it was because they weren't interested, either," said Zechs. "Kurama didn't ask us about our past because he didn't want us to ask about theirs. He never let the conversation turn more personal than our powers."

"That's true," Quatre admitted. His expression remained doubtful. "But we don't know that they wouldn't tell us if we just asked." He looked across the table to Duo. "You said Miss Relena wouldn't say anything about them, right? That we should ask Kurama if we wanted to know. But we didn't ask him. I can see why you'd be wary of trusting another mutant," he said to Heero, "but I don't like the idea of investigating them without asking straight out first. Give them a chance to tell us before you find out for yourself."

"I plan to ask after I do the search," said Heero. "It's better that way. We can compare what they tell us with what we find."

Quatre was frowning now, but Heero met his gaze calmly.

"We can't afford to trust them blindly," said Heero. "What happened down there could easily have been a ruse to gain our trust. We won't be taken in twice."

Zechs winced at the reminder of their first meeting with Une, and he had to agree. "Heero's right. But I, for one, don't think that was a ruse. What would be the point? We were all together in a closed-in room. If they were working for OZ, they could have gassed us and taken us without lifting a finger." Dark blue eyes snapped to his and he nearly smirked at Heero's startled expression. "The fact that it didn't happen is a point in their favor."

"You guys are being way too paranoid," Duo commented. Unlike the rest of them, he wasn't going to wait for his food to get cold, his words coming in between bites. "I have absolute confidence that they're on our side. Besides, who would offer to play guinea pig to Zechs just to get on our good side? No one's that dumb."

Zechs frowned and Wufei smirked at the man before looking to Duo.

"What did he say to you when we left?" asked Wufei.

"Oh," said Duo, "I just asked him about that picture of me he said he'd seen, that's all." The others had begun to eat now, and Duo took another bite of his food before grinning suddenly. "You know, I still can't believe Hiei just cut his arm like that. I definitely wasn't expecting it."

Wufei could tell Duo was changing the subject, and he gave a slight nod. "His sword is very old-fashioned. I was surprised it cut so easily."

With a quick laugh, Duo smirked. "I didn't think people even _carried_ swords anymore. But he did cut through weird plants earlier, so it had to be pretty sharp. What gets me is that he barely flinched when he did it. As bad as Zechs' healing burns, he took it like a man."

Pale blue eyes sparked at him from a droll glare and he smiled at Zechs.

"Kurama did say he resisted heat, though," Quatre put in. "If it burns, then maybe it wouldn't affect him as much as it did you and Trowa."

"That's true," said Zechs. He was tapping his fingers on the table, a little irked by the talk. He didn't like to be singled out for the flaw in his main talent, it was irritating. "I thought he was a child when I saw him earlier, but he's obviously older than that."

"What was your first clue?" Duo teased. He smirked as Zechs' eyes flashed back to him. Teasing him was nearly as fun as teasing Wufei. "The voice, or the eyes?"

Wufei raised an eyebrow at Duo, his own lips curving into a smirk.

"His eyes?" asked Wufei.

There was a definite insinuating tone to the Chinese boy's voice, and Duo blinked when Heero shifted beside him. A quick glance found Heero's gaze on him as well and he leaned back a bit, frowning at him, and then Wufei.

"All I meant was that he has that same bored look that Heero gets, and Trowa, too," said Duo.

"Trowa doesn't look bored," Quatre countered with a slight frown. Duo turned to stare at him and he felt a little warmth creep to his cheeks. He knew Duo hadn't been insulting Trowa, but he'd spoken without thinking. The rising heat strengthened when he felt green eyes on him as well, and he fumbled for something to say. "I think it's more serious than bored..."

Duo continued to stare at him for a long moment before the boy smiled suddenly and Quatre sighed, dropping his gaze.

"_Anyway_," Duo smirked, "I look forward to meeting up with them tomorrow. Hopefully we can do more than just watch Zechs work."

"That reminds me," said Quatre. "Kurama didn't say when to meet them." Turning a bit, he looked around the crowded cafeteria. "And they didn't come up with us. They couldn't have had time to eat before we came down there, not with Hiei asleep."

Duo shook his head, leaning back since he'd finished eating.

"They probably have their own kitchen down there," said Duo. "Let's just meet up here in the morning and go down when we're done. I have a feeling they'll probably be up."

"They can't help all of us at once," Quatre mused. He frowned at what was left of his meal. "I think I'll stay with Une tomorrow. I don't think it's good to leave her alone for too long, and I want to start working with her."

"You're going to try bringing her softer side to the surface?" asked Zechs.

"Yes," said Quatre. "And since we have an added incentive for staying here, I won't have to rush her." He relaxed when Trowa nodded beside him.

"I'll join you," said Trowa. He sent a sober look at the others. "It's not a good idea to have anyone alone with her. She appears stable at the moment, but," he glanced at Heero, "we aren't taking chances."

"Good." Heero nodded to the boy, his brows drawn in a frown. "I'll stop by there before joining up with the others. I want to see this 'other side' of hers. I need to contact my informer with a report as soon as possible, but I don't want to do that until we know we'll be able to work on Une."

"Well," Duo sighed, "that looks like a plan to me. If you guys don't have anything else, I think I'm going to turn in."

Wufei's eyes glinted suddenly and he cleared his face, blinking at the longhaired boy.

"Do you plan to share your room with Une tonight?" asked Wufei. "You could bunk with me if you like."

Duo's eyes widened in surprise and Wufei's lips twitched when he felt a hot glare blaze at him. Eyebrows rising, he turned an innocent expression to Heero.

Wufei was just taunting him, Heero was sure of it, but he glared anyway, his eyes narrow slits of dark blue.

"It's taken care of," Heero said tightly. Snatching his tray, he left the table, his expression relaxing a bit when he heard Duo let out a light laugh behind him.

"Yeah," Duo smirked, "thanks anyway, Wufei." He waved to the others before grabbing his tray. "See you in the morning."

Duo bounced away and Trowa turned calm eyes to Wufei.

"You know he and Heero are sharing a room, don't you?" asked Trowa.

"Of course I do," Wufei snorted. "It's very obvious."

Zechs glanced at the black-haired boy, shaking his head. "I'd be careful," he warned, "Heero doesn't look like the sort to take taunts lightly. I think he might be a bit possessive, judging by that glare he shot you."

"I agree," Wufei smirked.

He didn't say any more as he cleared his own tray. Quatre and Trowa finished before him, and he nodded to them as they left for their own room. Zechs was a bit behind him and he waited, not wanting to leave the man alone in the room full of teens.

"You know," said Wufei, "Heero _should_ be possessive." Pale blue eyes flicked to him in surprise and he stood slowly, picking up his tray. "I actually admire that about him. If he hadn't been assertive they never would have gotten together." Zechs blinked at him and Wufei smirked. "I'll see you in the morning."

Zechs opened his mouth, but he didn't wait. The man was simply far too passive and there was no point even trying to change that. After all, even if Zechs had shown interest in him, Wufei wasn't about to lower his standards. He wasn't that lonely.

.-.

They'd taken a tray to Une before going to their room, and Quatre was thoroughly depressed by the time they reached it. The woman had flat out refused to eat anything. He'd been tempted to let that pass, but he knew he couldn't. If he did it once he knew she'd begin a hunger strike. He didn't have to be telepathic to know that. And it bothered him to force a person to eat. It was one thing to invade her privacy to make her answer questions, but to do it for such a simple thing made him feel dirty somehow.

Trowa must have known, because the boy pushed him into a chair the moment they reached his room.

"You can't get this upset over something so simple," Trowa said. He pulled off Quatre's vest so he could get to the boy's shoulders better. "I didn't read her mind, but I think part of her wanted you to intervene." Bright eyes turned up to him and he nodded. "If her unyielding side thought of the refusal, you know the other side was against it. Either way, you did what you had to for her own good."

Trowa was rubbing his shoulders and Quatre smiled, relaxing in the chair.

"You could rationalize anything," said Quatre, "couldn't you, Trowa. I know I did what I had to, but I don't like using my ability on something so personal. I wouldn't even let her decide if she was hungry or not..."

"You think you're being too controlling?" asked Trowa. Quatre nodded and Trowa smirked, curling his fingers tighter when the boy's shoulders remained tense. "I don't think you are. I think you're just choosing to blame yourself for something that can't be helped."

Quatre didn't respond and he sighed. He leaned against his back and slipped his arms down over his chest. Rubbing his hands over Quatre's arms, he rested his forehead against the boy's soft hair.

"Don't blame yourself," said Trowa. "Just think of all the good you'll do her. It's up to you to undo all the damage Treize did to her. That should be enough to occupy your mind."

"I know," Quatre sighed. "We've had such good news today, I don't know why I got depressed so easily."

He felt Trowa nod against his hair and smiled a bit. He pulled away so he could meet those dark green eyes.

"You know," said Quatre, "you don't have to stay with me while I work on Une. I'm sure the others would take turns. If I didn't know better, I'd think you volunteered with ulterior motives."

Trowa smirked at him and Quatre reached up a hand to pat his cheek.

"And I'm not talking about _those_ motives," said Quatre.

Trowa blinked in surprise, a bit wary and confused by the glint in the boy's eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Well," said Quatre, "if you're with me, then you won't be able to explore your powers. Tell me you didn't think of that when you decided not to go down tomorrow." Green eyes widened and Quatre smirked in satisfaction, shifting in the chair as he folded his arms over his chest. "See? I know you as well as you know me. You _will_ figure out as much as you can while we're here, Trowa. Whether I'm nearby or not."

"Orders?" asked Trowa. A playful but definite nod answered him and Trowa's eyes narrowed, only the glint revealing his humor. "Then I don't have much choice, do I. Although, I hadn't actually thought of that until you said something." Quatre turned back to him in surprise and he smirked. "I wouldn't risk angering you again. You should know better."

Quatre frowned at that, dropping his eyes for a minute. He didn't really like the thought that Trowa had to go out of his way not to anger him. But he couldn't help being a bit satisfied that he wasn't going to argue about using his powers.

Trowa moved away from his back and he looked up quickly, blinking when his lover rounded the chair, green eyes watching him from a frowning face.

"Trowa?"

"You need a bath."

Trowa's lips twitched when Quatre straightened suddenly, pale blue-green eyes widening in outrage. He smirked at him.

"Excuse me?" blurted Quatre. He glared at Trowa's expression and bristled. "You know I took-"

Trowa abruptly moved closer to him, and Quatre flinched back, not sure what to make of the calculating look he was given.

"Trowa...?"

Hesitating for a moment, Trowa enjoyed Quatre's startled expression.

"Allow me," Trowa murmured.

He smirked and bent to lift Quatre out of the chair. Hands flew to his shoulders and he almost laughed at how quickly Quatre's cheeks turned pink.

"Oh." Understanding dawned and Quatre blushed even darker as he shot a light glare at Trowa. "You could have just said so..."


	24. Demons and Bumblers

_**Part 24: Demons and Bumblers**_

Duo awoke to the sound of the bathroom door sliding open. He didn't move at first, expecting the empty spot next to him to be filled as Heero returned to bed. But another soft rustling on the carpet told him the boy had gone to the desk instead.

With a mottled scowl, he rubbed his eyes and pushed himself up.

"What are you doing?" asked Duo. "What time is it?"

"One twenty," Heero answered. His voice was soft, and he didn't look back, focused on the glowing screen of his laptop. "Go back to sleep."

"But what are you doing?" asked Duo. A light tapping answered him and he sighed, shoving his legs over the edge of the bed. "And when did you get up? I didn't even hear you."

"I was quiet."

Duo yawned, rubbing his eyes and blinking blearily at the too-bright screen. Newspaper clippings shown on one minimized page, a search list of links on the other. He leaned closer over Heero's shoulder, trying to make out the list on the smaller menu.

"Mountains...?" asked Duo. "Why are you looking up-" A sleep slowed thought made its way to his mind, and he blinked, scowling down at Heero. "You couldn't wait to look them up, could you."

"No," said Heero. "But it would have been better if I had last names to go by."

"Let me guess," Duo taunted. "Lots of mutants seen around Mount Hiei?" Heero sniffed, proving him right. "Good. You shouldn't be snooping anyway, no wonder you waited till I was asleep."

"I knew it would be quieter that way," Heero muttered. He refused to look back. "Doesn't matter, though. The sister identified him."

"What?" Duo blinked when Heero pointed at the screen, leaning even closer so he could make out the names on the article. "Adopted mutant in the Sanq Kingdom? That's not-"

The pointing hand shifted down an inch and he rubbed a hand over his eyes again, squinting.

"Oh. Yukina. So she was adopted? Her and Hiei?"

"No," said Heero. "They don't mention him here, just the date and the agency Yukina was adopted from. This is where Hiei comes in."

Pulling up another screen, Heero shifted to the side so Duo could read. The long haired boy ignored that, and he jerked a bit as he found himself with a lapfull of Duo, an arm carelessly wrapped over his shoulders.

Heero's eyebrow twitched, but he kept quiet.

"An assassination attempt?" Duo muttered.

He was reading slowly at best. His eyes were still blurry, and probably would be since they didn't have any coffee to help wake him up.

Distracted, he tugged on Heero's hair and frowned down at him.

"Remind me to buy us a coffee pot tomorrow," said Duo. "We can keep it in the bathroom."

"Fine," said Heero. He rolled his eyes at Duo's typical morning behavior. "Now read."

"My eyes are all sleepy," Duo muttered.

He rubbed at his eyes, but it didn't seem to help. They still tried to sag shut on him.

"Just tell me?" asked Duo.

"Hn."

With a sleepy, but cute, smile, Duo snuggled comfortably against Heero, ducking his face to rub the boy's neck. "Come on..."

"Fine," Heero said sharply. He tilted his head away, staring down at the sleep-drugged boy. "Just don't fall asleep on me."

"Would I do that?" asked Duo. A sharp snort answered him, and he smiled, shifting his head to rest on Heero's shoulder. "Okay, spill. What did you find out while you were snooping around instead of just asking like a-"

"Shut up," Heero said tiredly. "I'll just have to repeat this to the others later, so I don't have to tell you anything."

"Meanie."

"Hn. Yukina was adopted six years ago - that's the first thing that showed up. All it says is that she was adopted to be a companion to Relena not long after Zechs left the Sanq Kingdom. A year later the school opened. The reports are mainly from this kingdom and the neighboring ones, so it took a while to find that."

"How long is a while?" asked Duo. "You haven't been at this that long."

"Twenty minutes."

Duo snorted at him, but Heero ignored it.

"She doesn't seem to have a last name at all," said Heero. "It wasn't just kept from the press. There were a few tabloids talking about her past since she was adopted by the Peacecrafts and rumor has it she didn't know her full name when she was adopted, or her age."

"So what about Hiei?" asked Duo.

"He didn't show up until the assassination attempt a year ago. That's when the king died."

"He was assassinated?" Duo sat up abruptly, his eyes wide. "Zechs didn't say that."

"He didn't die in the attempt," Heero explained.

He reached around Duo to change the screen. Now that he had the boy's full attention, he didn't mind having Duo lounge on him. He just hadn't wanted to waste time explaining something to a person who'd sleep through it.

"He died of a heart attack a few days after it," Heero continued. "So officially his death was from natural causes. The attempt was foiled by a mutant. Hiei."

"But I thought he wasn't adopted."

"No," said Heero, "he isn't listed by name, but the description matches. There was a missile dropped directly onto the school, and the report says it exploded just before it landed. It was enough to shake the place, but no one was injured. Witnesses claim it wasn't shot down from anything in the air, like the official report says, but by something on the ground directly in front of the manor. Right about where we were earlier."

"And you think it was Hiei?"

"I don't know what this kokoryuuha is that Kurama mentioned, but it was a black explosion that took out the missile according to the witnesses. It's too much to be coincidence that he uses black flame."

"And Kurama did say he hadn't know Relena that long," Duo recalled. "But why was he there? And where was he before that?"

"That was harder to find. I'm still not sure if I have the right ones."

"What do you mean?"

"Since they're the same size, I'd say Yukina and Hiei would be about the same age, being siblings. And the age estimation when she was adopted put her at around nine at the oldest. So I looked back for any record of siblings or twins having been-"

"Twins?"

Duo's lips twitched for a second before he broke into a grin. "No way those two are twins. The only thing they have in common is their height and eye color."

"Not identical," said Heero. He gave Duo a droll stare. "And there _was_ a record of twins causing trouble six years ago, right before Yukina was adopted. I'm sure it was her."

"Why? What happened?"

"A man was found dead, his two foster children there at the time. Twins, a male and female estimated to be nine or ten. And the man's death was investigated by OZ."

"Mutants, then." Duo glared, moving closer to Heero. "How did he die?"

"That wasn't in the official reports, but I went into some of OZ's older files. His heart was crushed, no apparent wounds on the outside of his body. The room was found wet, as well as the children and the body, everything was completely soaked."

"What the hell would do that?" asked Duo. He turned back to the computer and scowled at the small text document. "Kurama didn't say anything about Hiei having water abilities."

"No," Heero frowned. "And no fire or mind control would explain how the man's heart was crushed into a pulp without any sign of entry into his chest. It was done from the inside, obviously, but looked like a fist squeezed it."

With a click, he nodded to a rather vivid picture. Duo groaned and ducked his head against his neck. Heero blinked.

"Duo?"

"Warn me before you show stuff like that," Duo grumbled.

His stomach was turning far too quickly for being half asleep. After a long minute, he sighed and turned back to the screen, disgust curling his lips. "Eww..."

"I...didn't think you were the queasy type," Heero said slowly.

"You don't have to be the queasy type," Duo spat. He shot Heero a disgruntled look. "When something's nasty, it's nasty. They could have at least taken it out of his chest before they took the picture."

"But that's the point," Heero reminded him. "Look at the area around it. Nothing else was touched, just the heart. Here." Clicking again, he nodded to another picture, noting Duo's relief when it showed an uninjured chest. "That's before they opened him. No signs of any wound at all."

"Okay," Duo sighed. "So what does that mean? You think Kurama lied about Hiei's abilities?"

"Either that or he doesn't know. I couldn't find anything on him at all. And no record of Hiei. The two children were separated after the death, and the official report says they were set to undergo therapy. There's no information on the girl after that, and the boy was reported missing two weeks later. If it's them, then Yukina was adopted by the Peacecrafts and taken to the Sanq Kingdom. OZ also mentions that the girl was adopted in their file. But they couldn't find the boy after he disappeared from the hospital."

"Hospital?"

A dark glare made Duo shift back a little, staring at Heero in surprise.

"I can't find the records of what he was treated for," said Heero, "not in the hospital archives or OZ's file. Someone pulled them. And it would have to be someone high up to have done it."

"Treize? You think he's put Hiei on his list?" A shrug answered that, and Duo frowned, stifling a quick yawn. "Makes sense. If it's them, then OZ would know where Yukina went, and they'd probably figure out the assassination attempt was stopped by a mutant. No way they'd believe some coverup, not if witnesses blabbed to the tabloids."

"Right," said Heero. "So why haven't they come in to get him yet? Something's not right, it's suspicious."

Duo rolled his eyes, sagging on Heero again.

"The whole thing's suspicious," said Duo. "So just ask Kurama about it in the morning. If Hiei's a target, I bet he'd want to know anyway."

"No, it would be better to have Zechs read him." Heero held still when Duo jerked upright, and he met the boy's sudden glare with dead calm. "He said he has no telepathic abilities, so Zechs should be able to read him easily."

"At least give him a chance to tell you himself first," Duo said sharply. Anger was written over his tense form. "Do you want to alienate them when they're already planning to help us out? They're definitely not enemies, not if OZ is pulling Hiei's records."

"But there's nothing on Kurama," Heero reminded him. "We don't know anything about him. What's to say OZ didn't plant him the same way they did Une? It would be a perfect way to get close to Hiei, and we know they're using mutants to catch other mutants."

"Right," Duo snorted. He hopped off Heero and stalked back to the bed. "And he's been hanging around for a year without doing anything? Did you even see them earlier? Hiei didn't exactly look like the sort of person who'd trust a potential traitor that easily. And with that eye thing of his he can probably read Kurama himself. There's no way."

"We can't rule it out."

"Whatever," Duo groused. He climbed into bed, glaring at his pillow so he wouldn't have to look at Heero. "Your attitude is really starting to bug me, you know that?"

"Duo."

The boy was silent, and Heero sighed, leaving his laptop to move to the bed. He waited for a minute, but Duo's face was hidden against his pillow. With another, louder, sigh, he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Why are you getting angry about this?" asked Heero.

Duo shot up suddenly, glaring at him.

"Because I like them, okay?" said Duo. "I like them, especially Kurama. I may not have Zechs or Quatre's mindreading ability, but I know when someone is a good person, and that's what I get from him. Sure, he may have his secrets, but there wasn't a bit of malice in his smile. I know that. I don't understand why you can't see that."

"You thought the same thing about Une when she was masking herself as Relena," said Heero. Violet eyes held to their dark glare, and Heero returned it with a calm look. It was true, and they both knew it. "You don't want to lose a friend you've just made. But we have to be sure, you know that."

"I..."

His eyes burned. Heero's absolute calm seemed to tear at him, and Duo jerked away suddenly, dropping to the bed to crush his face against the pillow.

"I'm going to sleep," he mumbled.

A warm arm moved over his shoulders and he almost shrugged it away. He was angry with him...but he didn't really want Heero to go back to the computer. With a long sigh, he let the other boy stretch out beside him, not protesting when he was drawn into a warm embrace.

Heero would probably sneak back to the computer the moment he fell asleep again, but he wouldn't think of that right now. He didn't want to think of anything.

.-.

A muffled thump, a few faint whispers, and a light groan of pain were enough to make Wufei sit up with wide eyes trained on his bedroom door. He'd been in a vague doze, not nearly deep enough to ignore noise like that.

For a few seconds he wondered if Duo or one of the others hadn't come to see him, but none of them would be so clumsy. Not even Quatre could be that loud, though he'd never done much infiltration.

He slipped into his shoes and tossed a coat around his light sleep clothes. The sounds were fainter by the time he opened it a crack, and he just caught the shadow disappearing into the stairwell, at least two figures moving out of sight. With narrow eyes, he followed silently.

There was no curfew, he remembered, but whoever it was seemed to be hiding something. While they weren't very good at it, he got the impression they planned to sneak out unnoticed. Or in unnoticed. Either way, it was too suspicious for him to ignore.

He reached the stairwell and paused at the edge, blending with the shadows as he peered at the figures below him. He could just make out their whispers as he crept after them.

"If you're wrong I'm going to kill you."

"I know what I saw!" the other whispered furiously. His voice was a rather loud hiss in the darkness. "And _you're_ the one who wanted to follow! This isn't my idea of-"

"Oh shut up already. You'll wake everybody up with that loud mouth of yours, baka."

"Oi!"

Wufei blinked when the shorter figure swung at the taller one, knocking him down a few steps and causing a lot more racket than the loud whispers had. For people trying to sneak, they were doing a pretty bad job at it. He crouched in the shadows and watched the taller one groan and rub his head. The other one kicked him in the back and sent him tumbling down another three steps.

If Wufei hadn't been tailing them, he might have snickered. They were idiots.

"Will you stop it already? Damn, you're gonna kill me! They'll be long gone by the time we get out there and it'll be your fault, not mine."

"Shut up and move your slow ass, then."

A low grumbled threat later, the two disappeared onto the ground floor, and Wufei stood, staring after them in bemusement. He hadn't seen them very well, but he was sure they were students. Not even OZ would hire incompetents of that level. Still, they were obviously up to something, and he was already wide awake.

With a shrug, he followed, peering out the doorway to spot the two figures crouched next to a window by the main door. They remained for nearly a minute in absolute silence. Then the shorter one slammed a hand on the taller one's head, nearly sending his face through the glass.

"They aren't doing anything, you idiot!"

"Oi!" the tall one growled. "Stop hitting me or I'll hit you back! You want to fight right here?"

"Sure, if you want your ass kicked again. First me, then Hiei when he hears your squeals."

"That chibi? He'd never-"

The shorter one slapped a hand over the other's mouth, and snapped his head around to stare directly at the stairwell. Wufei flinched in surprise, blinking at the shadowed gaze.

He hadn't made a sound, and he'd followed them so long without being noticed. What gave him away?

"Oi, who's there? Come on out here where I can see you."

The voice was definitely meant to be intimidating, but Wufei merely sniffed at it, a smirk curving his lips. Like he was really going to be afraid of these two bumblers.

He straightened slowly and moved along the wall to stand over the two. He could see them clearly now, despite the dim light. The taller one was odd looking, thick short orangish hair on his head and very high prominent cheekbones that somehow made him look like a mix between a thug and a Neanderthal. The other one had black hair that was slicked back in a slight rise, short but straight, and dark eyes that did their best to challenge him.

Wufei raised an eyebrow at the boy.

"Haven't seen you around here," the black-haired boy scowled. "But get down before they see you."

Blinking in surprise, Wufei found himself obeying. He crouched near the two and peered out the window. The front lawn looked completely empty to him. He frowned at the boys, keeping his voice low.

"What are you looking at?" asked Wufei.

The shorter boy looked back at him, eyes suspicious. "You new?" At Wufei's nod, he smirked and tilted his head back to the window. "Just following the demons."

"Demons?" asked Wufei.

"You really _are_ new," the taller boy mocked. He rolled his eyes, his face an exaggerated expression of disgust. "Don't you know about those two, yet? Everyone knows about them. They're the strongest ones here."

"Ch, not so strong," the black-haired one muttered. "I still say I could take him if he'd give me half a chance. Stuck up kid."

"Who are you talking about?" asked Wufei. He frowned, staring at the empty yard. He didn't see anyone at all. "And where are you looking?"

"There," the dark one said. He nodded again. "In the tree, see them? The demons."

Sure enough Wufei spotted a shadow nearly hidden by the thick leaves of the tree he and the others had sat beneath earlier. Squinting a bit, he caught a vague flash of dark red. He blinked in surprise.

"Kurama?" asked Wufei.

"You _do_ know them!" said the tall boy.

He let out a grumbled laugh and slapped a rough hand on Wufei's back, and making the Chinese boy freeze. If looks could kill, the orange haired boy would have been dead. But he didn't seem to notice.

"They're the demons," said the boy. "Everyone says they're S class mutants."

"The only ones I've ever heard of," the dark-haired boy muttered. "And the townsfolk are terrified of them, especially Hiei."

The orange-haired boy nodded, also glowering. "They say that one isn't even human, demons - worse than mutants. Wimps. All afraid of that chibi."

"Stronger than you, baka."

Wufei looked between the two with a droll expression before turning his gaze out the window again. It was dark, but he did spot a hint of black and white near the familiar red hair. For a second he wasn't sure what he was looking at, then his eyes widened.

"Is Hiei in his lap?"

The dark-haired boy snickered, smothering the sound with his hand. "You really _are_ new. Man, new students are so fun. Yeah, that's him. The way we see it, they're either lovers or they're related. Kurama's the only one who'd touch him."

"Aside from Yukina, you mean?" asked Wufei. Pale eyes snapped to him, and Wufei jerked back on instinct, barely managing to avoid the orange-haired boy's fist. "What-"

"Yukina-san would never touch him!" the boy nearly shrieked. His whisper cracked with his anger. "How dare you say that!"

His mouth was covered again, and he struggled to shove the other boy off, mumbled growls not quite silenced. The shorter boy smirked, holding his friend back with seeming ease.

"Don't mind him, he has a slight case of Yukina worship. It kills what few brain cells he has."

"Oh." Wufei raised an eyebrow when the taller boy was released, still leaning away from him.

"Idiot newbies," the boy grumbled. He glared at Wufei, but seemed resigned with not attacking.

"Excuse me?" asked Wufei.

"Newbies," the other explained. He flashed Wufei a quick smile. "New students. But this isn't a good place to talk. Don't want them spotting us or anything."

"Why were you spying on them in the first place?" asked Wufei.

"Oh, we thought they might be going to train. We tried following them in the daytime, but they keep an eye out for us then. Not much gets by them if they're looking for it. So when the idiot here said he saw them outside, well, perfect chance."

The dark-haired boy flashed him a grin, and Wufei found himself smiling back.

"I see," said Wufei.

"But it looks like they're just going to sit there. No point watching that. Might as well slip by the cafeteria. Wanna come?"

Wufei glanced back out the window at the pair barely visible through the foliage and shrugged. "I suppose. Is it open at this hour?"

"Oh yeah," the orange-haired boy grinned. He seemed to have forgotten he'd nearly punched Wufei a moment ago. With another heavy slap on the back, he pushed the smaller boy toward the cafeteria. "There's no curfew, so it's always open. Not much to get aside from coffee and pastries, but that's not too bad, right?"

"Heh, you and your stomach," the other boy smirked.

Rubbing his back with a dark scowl, Wufei moved to the side so they passed him. For a clumsy sneak, the tall one had some strength behind his large hands. He'd have to watch out that he didn't get another of those friendly cuffs or he'd be bruised. The darkhaired boy glanced back and he gave a weak half smile, following. This could be useful, he thought slowly, looking at the two. Rumors about the pair outside would add to whatever Heero turned up.

.-.

The shadows disappeared from inside the window, and Hiei sniffed, turning onto his back again. "Idiots."

"Yusuke and Kuwabara-kun?" asked Kurama. A slight smile curved his lips as he watched Hiei's expression settle into a bored scowl. The black-haired boy didn't answer, shifting more comfortably in his arms. "They probably thought we were going off to train."

"Ch, like I wouldn't have heard them a mile away."

"Ah, but you have to give them credit," said Kurama. "They're quite persistent."

"Annoying is the word." A soft laugh shook his back, and Hiei sniffed again, tilting his head to stare up at the redhead. "Why do you like them?"

Kurama's smile widened a bit at Hiei's disgusted expression. "Because they're honest, determined, and amusing, of course. Yusuke really wants a match with you. He asks me almost every day."

"No point fighting a B level," Hiei muttered. He closed his eyes, moving his hands over the arm that lay across his waist. "Unless he needs the humiliation."

"Now, Hiei, you know he's the strongest mutant here aside from Yukina-chan. He could have another talent. You never know." Dark red eyes turned up to him, and Kurama smirked, shaking his head. "You're right, you _would_ know."

"He has one ability," Hiei frowned. "No matter how strong he claims to be, one ability makes him B level. That's all there is to it."

"Disappointed?" asked Kurama. He sighed when Hiei didn't answer. He brushed his free hand through the white streaked black hair over Hiei's forehead. "I think you may enjoy working with the new ones. And just think, if Trowa really is an S class, you could have a better opponent than me."

"Not likely," scoffed Hiei. Kurama smirked at this, and Hiei mirrored the smile without looking. "Even on the off chance that he's stronger than you, he won't have your mind."

"Flattery," Kurama warned. He tugged on Hiei's dark hair, giving him a knowing smile. "But it's nice to see you in such a good mood. Was it him?"

The dark form tensed at the question. Holding his silence, Kurama continued to thread his fingers through thick black hair. Minutes passed before Hiei finally relaxed again, and he smiled lightly, his hand curving to brush the boy's cheek.

"He doesn't look the same as the picture," Kurama said softly. "His eyes have changed."

Hiei's voice was just as soft when he spoke. "So have yours."

"If it makes you happy, why are you upset?" asked Kurama.

A soft snort answered him, and Kurama sighed, tilting his head against the tree and turning his gaze to the dark leaves around them.

"You wanted to save him," Kurama whispered.

"Hn."

With a dark scowl, Hiei rolled onto his stomach, bracing himself on Kurama's arm. Once he was facing he redhead, he moved so their noses nearly touched. Wide green eyes sparkled at him and he stared for a long moment before ducking his head against Kurama's warm neck.

"You talk too much," said Hiei.

"Hai," Kurama smiled. He moved his arms around Hiei, sharing warmth. "But it's still true. You wanted to save him like you did me."

"I'm not that kind," Hiei muttered. Closing his eyes again, he snuggled closer to Kurama.

"No..." Kurama drawled, "but you want to be."

Strong fingers pinched his waist, and Kurama winced, grinning down at Hiei.

"Urusai..." Hiei growled.


	25. Betrayal and Intrigue

Auothor's Notes: For the YYH fans following my 'Unwanted' fic, the history of the twins is the story told in that fic, so you should consider future parts of this as spoilers for that fic. I know, it's odd, but there are a lot of details in 'Unwanted' that the G-boys will never know about in this fic, so having it as a separate story makes it better (especially for the YYH fans who want to know how Hiei and Kurama met, and Hiei's odd relationship with Yukina). If you *aren't* reading that side fic, then expect to be left wondering in this one - I don't plan to explain everything here because there are some things the G-boys don't need to know. ^.~  
  
This fic is a vague fusion with the original X-men animated series.  
  
Category: Anime, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho, Yaoi, AU  
  
Warnings: shonen ai, slight humor, slight angst  
  
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, KuramaxHiei, will be 6x5  
  
Author: Arigatomina  
  
Email: arigatomina@hotmail.com  
  
Website/Complete Archive: http://www.geocities.com/arigatomina  
  
G-men  
  
Part 25: Betrayal and Intrigue  
  
A soft tapping made the bed shift beside him, Duo groaning at both the movement and the sound. Heero answered the summons with a few low murmured words before returning to his side. Silence, then a light tug on the blankets the longhaired boy had burrowed beneath was Heero's way of gaining his attention. Duo grumbled, digging deeper into his cocoon.  
  
"Duo."  
  
"It's too early," Duo groaned, hiding his head beneath the pillow. "It can't be time to get up already..."  
  
"It is early," Heero said. "But we need to meet with the others now, in case the two do join us for breakfast."  
  
"It really is early?" Duo lifted the edge of his pillow, blinking a bleary violet eye up at the boy. "Then why are you bugging me now?"  
  
Heero's eyebrow twitched and he glowered. "I just told you why, we need to meet with the others now. Get up." With a swift tug, he jerked the blanket free, baring Duo's lanky form and watching as it contracted into a fetal curl.  
  
"Mm...I want coffee..."  
  
"You can have some downstairs. Wufei said the cafeteria is always stocked, so that's not a problem." The boy twitched at this, and Heero had the distinct impression Duo's ears had perked. Those violet eyes did seem a bit brighter when they blinked groggily up at him. Turning away, he moved to get dressed for the day. And eventually he heard the sounds of his lover shifting as well. "I think Wufei has some news for us to add to what I found. He's gone to get wake the others, so the sooner you get ready the better."  
  
"Don't rush me," Duo grumbled, stalking into the bathroom. His hair was frizzed from sleep and he frowned at it, tugging the edge of his braid. "No time for a shower, then."  
  
"You can take one tonight," Heero called. He was bent over his computer, securing it so no one would be able to use it while they were gone. There probably wasn't need for that, but he never took chances. A few codes and the entire system was locked down. No one would be able to trace what he'd looked up last night without knowing exactly what to enter. He straightened slowly before stepping to the wall and doing a few stretches that were better than any cup of caffeine. Duo could learn from that. The thought made him smirk, and he eased into the bathroom doorway, staring at the boy in question.  
  
Duo's hair was undone, and he winced as the edges fuzzed in a fluffy staticy mane. "Man..." A soft sound caught his ear, his eyes snapping over to glare at Heero's smirk. "Not a word," he warned, running his brush through the mass and making long strands cling to his arm. "It's your fault I can't even take a shower. Waking me up early and then making fun of my hair when it's your fault to begin with..." He was fairly ripping the brush through his hair by the time a hand caught his wrist, and he blinked, still frowning. "What?"  
  
"I wasn't making fun of your hair," Heero smirked, catching a hand in the aforementioned mass. "You know I like it, fuzzy or not."  
  
"It's only fuzzy because-" Lips cut him off, and Duo's eyes widened at the aggression behind them. It was way too early to be so...  
  
Wrapping an arm around the slender boy's waist, Heero pressed closer to him, his other hand still curled in that thick hair. He didn't pull back until Duo made a muffled sound against his mouth. And he smirked at the dazed look in those violet eyes. "I know, no shower. But I like it fuzzy, like it's been pet too long."  
  
"Wha...pet too long?!" Another far too pationate kiss smothered his outrage, and Duo was gasping by the time the boy pulled away again. "Heero...it's too early for that..."  
  
"Better than you yelling at me," Heero commented, ducking his head to press a light kiss on the boy's neck. "Now braid your hair and let's go. I'll wash it for you tonight...if you want."  
  
Blinking sharply at that, Duo gave a dumb nod and received a light pat on his cheek. The other boy abruptly turned and left the bathroom, Duo still staring after him. He didn't even remember dropping his brush. It was nearly a minute before his mind snapped back into motion and he scowled. "You're way too fiesty in the mornings!" A low laugh answered him from the bedroom, and he sniffed, crouching to get the brush. "And I thought I was the energetic one..."  
  
* * *  
  
"Is there anything you'd like for breakfast this morning?" Quatre's smile faltered a bit at the flury of thoughts that rushed through the woman's mind.  
  
"How long are you going to keep me here?" Une demanded, her voice harsh and low. "Do you really think acting nice is going to change the fact that you're planning to use me against Treize-sama?"  
  
"I'm trying to help you," Quatre said, his voice soft. "You don't like to be used by anyone, do you?"  
  
"Of course not!"  
  
"And Treize used you." Cold brown eyes shifted away from him sharply, but Quatre knew she didn't agree. She just didn't want to speak to him. With a light prod, he had those eyes turning back to him, not lighter, but a warmer sheen to the steady brown. "Mint?"  
  
"I used to drink mint tea with my brother," Une drawled, her voice soft and distant. "I'd make it myself. He liked it better that way."  
  
"I'll bring you some soon," Quatre promised. His smile was gentle, but it hurt to see her blink in vague confusion before her face shifted back to that sharp look of hate.  
  
"Stay out of my head!" Une snapped, crushing a hand over her temple.  
  
Trowa pushed away from his place near the door, catching Quatre's gaze. "We should go now."  
  
"I'm going to lock the door behind us," Quatre said, the woman's dark eyes snapping to him. "It shouldn't be too long."  
  
"You're welcome to come with us," Trowa commented, his gaze shifting to the side. The woman flinched, turning away sharply.  
  
"No."  
  
"All right, then. We'll be back soon." Letting Trowa preceed him, Quatre nodded before locking her in. The tall boy placed a steady hand on his shoulder and he sighed when he turned to him. "It's so strange...knowing her memories. I can say the exact thing to touch her gentle side, playing on fond memories from her past. But the harsh part of her doesn't seem to remember them at all. Either that, or she just doesn't feel the same happiness about those memories that her softer side does."  
  
"More likely she's trying to hide any sort of weakness," Trowa said. "As far as her childhood goes, both sides of her remember that. But Treize wouldn't want her to hold onto anything that would make her soft, so she ignores those things, denies them."  
  
"What sort of person would do that?"  
  
"Someone who's out to make an obedient weapon." The two boys turned sharply, and Heero nodded to them. "I can see Treize's reasoning in this. To make her heartless, the quickest way would be to bury or deny anything that is soft."  
  
"Wufei said we should go down early," Quatre said. "So I wanted to stop by here first."  
  
"That's fine." A wide yawn caught his eye, and Heero sniffed at the sleepy boy beside him. "Wufei and Zechs are probably in the cafeteria by now, waiting for us."  
  
"And we can't keep them waiting," Duo muttered, smothering another yawn and blinking grumpily at Quatre's smile. "What are you grinning about?"  
  
"You," Heero said. He gave the longhaired boy a quick prod, turning him toward the stairwell. "If you move quick you can have your drug sooner."  
  
"Hey! Don't knock caffeine like that! There's nothing wrong with a quick pick-me-up in the morning. Not everyone can just snap his fingers and be wide awake, you know. And I wouldn't be so tired if you hadn't woken me up with your snooping last night."  
  
Trowa raised an eyebrow at him, and Heero shook his head. "I was looking up those two. I'll tell what I found once we reach the others."  
  
Wufei and Zechs were waiting for them in the cafeteria, just as Heero had predicted. The two boys were about the only ones there, one or two others spotting the tables. A glance at the clock on the far wall told Duo why, and he nearly groaned in annoyance. He could see why they'd have to get up early if they were going to have some sneaky meeting before seeing Kurama, but six in the morning? That was just crazy. "I could have slept at least another hour," he muttered, glaring when Heero sighed.  
  
"Go get some coffee and sugar," Heero said. "This time you can eat while we talk."  
  
"Thanks so much." Rolling his eyes at the boy, Duo wandered off to the food. Sure enough there were pastries displayed in little soft boxes beneath the plastic cases. He didn't know how fresh they were, but they didn't look stale. Either way, he'd find out soon enough. Snatching up two that looked to have some sort of sugary filling, he joined Trowa at the beverages. "How's the tea choices?"  
  
"Mint and cinnamon," Quatre smiled. "But you could use one of the flavored creamers if you like."  
  
"Oh no," Duo laughed, waving a hand at him. "I was just curious. I need coffee, tea's just not strong enough for me."  
  
The boy nearly bounced over to pour himself a cup, and Quatre smiled. Whether he was sleepy or not, Duo didn't really look like he needed an extra boost. With tea in hand, he followed Trowa as they moved to join the others at a nearby table. It was far enough away from the few people in the cafeteria that they had some privacy, so that was good. Wufei looked up with a bland smile, and he blinked in surprise. The black-haired boy looked as tired as Duo did, vague shadows under his dark eyes. "Were you up late as well?"  
  
"I followed some suspicious characters last night," Wufei drawled, smirking at the blonde. "They turned out to be students, and poor sneaks at that. But they did tell me some rumors about that pair downstairs. It seems they have quite a reputation in the town, explains why people were avoiding them yesterday."  
  
"I've learned about them as well," Heero said. "I ran some searches last night and I think I've identified Hiei and Yukina."  
  
Zechs turned to him, nodding. "You go first, then we'll see if it matches what Wufei found."  
  
Heero explained his findings, telling about the reported death and his suspicions about OZ and the attempted assassination. "But without a last name to go by, I couldn't find any information on Kurama. And there's no reference to him in the attack, not in the tabloids or the official report. I'm only assuming he came here the same time Hiei did."  
  
"I didn't know there was an attack," Zechs said, frowning at the table. "I knew my father had died, and that it was from natural causes, but that's it."  
  
"The report was kept as private as possible," Heero nodded. "Only the local area has record of it. And Relena never mentioned it to you?"  
  
"No, but I'll ask her about it this afternoon."  
  
"I'd rather you looked into Kurama this afternoon," Heero said. A dark glare hit him, but he ignored it. "We need to know how he met Hiei, and what he did before he came here. If he's working for OZ, he has a great guise here. Searching his memories would turn that up, right?"  
  
"Yes." Zechs frowned, not wanting to remind them, but did anyway. "That's how I learned about all of you, reading memories more than thoughts."  
  
"Will it take time, or can you get it all in one try? If you can't use telepathy around Hiei, we'd have to separate the two of them, and it could be difficult to have them apart for very long."  
  
"It would only take a minute or two." Closing his eyes, Zechs paused for a moment before shaking his head. "I could do it now, but there seems to be some sort of barrier downstairs that blocks me out. That's probably to keep telepaths from being affected when Hiei uses his powers."  
  
"They did say that's why the area is restricted," Wufei nodded. "It would make sense to have some sort of ward to protect the students."  
  
Quatre had caught Duo's angry expression, and he frowned, his eyes moving from Heero to Zechs. "If you really think Kurama's a spy, why not question him first? We still don't know if he'd hide his past from us, we never asked anything."  
  
"Don't bother," Duo muttered, still glaring at Heero. "I already tried to tell him that, but he won't listen."  
  
"This is the last time I'm going to say this," Heero rounded, his voice tense. "We can't afford to take chances, or to trust anyone that quickly."  
  
"From the rumors I've heard, Hiei seems to be the one people are afraid of," Wufei commented. The others turned to look at him, and he told about his stint last night, and the pair he'd followed. "According to them, Hiei *was* here during the attempt. They were both students at the time, so I got a firsthand account of what happened. It happened in the middle of the afternoon, so there were a lot of students on the front lawn when the missile was dropped, and more people in the town within sight of the manor. Yusuke said the moment the craft went over, Hiei showed up, like he was waiting for it. He'd never seen him until then, but he guesses Hiei must have been nearby, close enough to get there in a flash. I'd say he was right about that. Hiei was probably keeping an eye on the place."  
  
"Why would he do that?" Quatre asked.  
  
"Think about it," Duo frowned, glancing over at the blonde boy. "If he was separated from Yukina, and he didn't show up here for five years, he was probably looking for her. I know I'd want to find my sister if it were me."  
  
"But for him to find her right when he was needed? I'd wager he was watching the place for a while before he showed himself." Heero turned back to Wufei when the Chinese boy nodded.  
  
"I agree. Yusuke said Hiei flashed into the yard right as the plane passed, and that he used some sort of black attack on both the missile and the craft. But he wasn't alone, Kurama got there a few seconds after he did, in a white form." Wufei glanced over at Duo. "You said something about seeing someone with white hair and a tail, didn't you?" The boy nodded with wide eyes. "That sounds like what Yusuke described. I think Hiei must have had some trouble using the attack, because Kurama had to help him."  
  
"He used black flame as well?" Heero asked sharply, his eyes narrowing. "He didn't say anything about having that sort of talent."  
  
"No," Wufei said, "not like that. Yusuke says he crouched behind Hiei and wrapped his arms around him, and the two of them glowed right before the attack. It sounds more like they shared energy of some sort. And the attack was a black dragon, but one made of flame. That must be the kokoryuuha Kurama mentioned."  
  
"Yeah," Duo said slowly. "I saw that. Of course, I was on my back at the time, but it definitely went high enough that it could take out a plane, or a missile being dropped."  
  
"And according to Yusuke, the attack Hiei sent out went in a slight curve, knocking the explosion so it didn't land directly over the manor but a few yards behind it." Wufei nodded when Heero raised an eyebrow at him. "I'd say the report failed to mention that. But the rest fits - there was some shaking, no damage, and no one was injured aside from Hiei."  
  
Duo blinked. "He was injured?"  
  
"I think it was the same thing we saw," Wufei said. "He passed out immediately after using it. Kurama did mention that he went comatose, and that it used to take longer before he woke. Yusuke said Relena came out then, and Kurama took him inside. Two days later and Kurama was mixing with the students, and it seems most people get along with him. They didn't start training students until a few months back, and most of the school seems to go along as if they're not here. Yusuke and Kuwabara didn't know anything about Relena using them to guard from future attacks, just that she lets them stay without going to classes."  
  
"So they're a mystery even to the students," Duo said. "I bet she tells anyone who asks to ask Kurama, and not just us. I guess it's because they saved the school from the attack - that would explain why she's grateful to them."  
  
"The only thing students know is that they're both S class, and that Hiei is scary." Violet eyes snapped to him, and Wufei smirked. "They're called the 'demons' around here, at least that's what Yusuke said. But of them, Kurama's the only one most people have ever talked to. And here's something for you, rumor has it they're either lovers or related." The longhaired boy snickered, and he nodded, his eyes glinting with humor. "I don't know about that one, but no one seems to know Hiei and Yukina are related. We'd do well to keep that to ourselves."  
  
"Kurama did ask that we not tell Hiei she was down there," Quatre recalled. "But if he came here for her, I'm surprised people wouldn't know it. Miss Yukina didn't seem like the type of person to hide something like that. And she certainly wasn't ashamed of being close to him."  
  
"Well," Duo smiled, "she did blush pretty bad when she was snuggling yesterday."  
  
"Still, if the students don't know they're related, and Kurama and Yukina were open to us about them being related..." The blonde boy trailed off, his gaze meeting Duo's.  
  
"He was pretty open with us, but not with the rest of the students." Turning to Heero, Duo sniffed. "Not the sort of thing you'd expect from an OZ spy."  
  
"I'm not saying it again."  
  
Duo glowered, folding his arms and shifting angrily in his seat. "Fine. I'll just work on Zechs, then." Pale blue eyes widened when he turned, and he sent a blistering look of disapproval at the man.  
  
Very uncomfortable, Zechs dropped his eyes. "I'm responsible for letting Une get past us. I won't let that happen again. So unless Trowa or Quatre want to do this, I have to."  
  
"Trowa isn't going to do it," Quatre said firmly. He placed a hand on the tall boy's shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze before looking over. "Right?" The boy winced a bit, giving him a weak smile and a nod. "You guys are on your own with this one. I agree with Duo - unless we ask first and give them a chance to tell us themselves, there's no reason to pry."  
  
Zechs sighed, accepting Trowa's shrug. He didn't blame the boy. Having seen Quatre angry, he knew why Trowa would be reluctant to go against him. And really, it was better that he do it. It would give him a chance to make up for his mistake with Une. Wufei sent him a knowing look and he gave a pained smile. "That just leaves me, then."  
  
"Good," Heero said. "So now the question is how to get Kurama into the open. If it's warded downstairs, we'll have to lure him out, or wait until he comes out for another of their outdoor training sessions."  
  
Wufei turned to him, nodding. "Yusuke says they do that a lot. And they were outside last night."  
  
"And they're out right now," Duo cut in, his voice soft. The others followed his gaze, spotting the two as they entered the cafeteria. "Guess they do come up for food."  
  
Heero exchanged a look with Zechs, and the white-haired man gave a subtle nod. "I'll wait till he's distracted," Zechs said softly. The two teens in question headed for the coffee, and he wondered if they'd noticed them yet. But this was answered when they turned and Kurama sent them a smile.  
  
"You're up early," Kurama commented, taking a seat near Trowa. Hiei joined him silently, not giving more than a cursory glance over the six of them.  
  
"We were hoping to start after breakfast," Quatre said, his voice tentative. He felt very uncomfortable when the redhead gave him another slight smile. This was the person they suspected as a spy? If anyone were dangerous looking, it was the dark-haired boy. Hiei was glaring into his coffee, practically exuding bad vibes. "And we didn't know exactly what time you had in mind."  
  
"Ah," Kurama nodded. "We generally get up early. Any time after seven and you can be sure we're awake." His eyes darted to the side, and he smirked at his quiet friend. "Hiei doesn't believe in sleeping after the sun is up unless it's from exhaustion." Dark red eyes flicked up to him, a soft snort the only answer to that barb. Kurama turned back to the blonde boy who'd spoken to him. "Did you have anyone in mind you'd like to start with?"  
  
"Well," Quatre said, choosing his words carefully. "Trowa and I have plans for today, but otherwise whoever you would like to work with would be fine."  
  
"I'd say Wufei and Zechs, then," Kurama said. "Duo can practice his invisibility without guidance, and I can work on lightning with Wufei. It would be best to do that outdoors, of course. But it's warm enough that it shouldn't be a problem, even this early in the morning."  
  
Silence lapsed as they ate, and Zechs focused on the redhead sitting across and over from him. A glance was all it took to make contact and he shifted past recent memories, identifying emotions and scenes more than concrete images. Hiei, trees, green, life, energy, adrenaline, fast, powerful, stubborn, attractive. Shifting away from the last one, Zechs moved deeper, past what seemed to be glimpses of the outdoor training Duo had told them about. Students, Yukina, sweet, jealousy, bitterness, tender, sympathy, Relena, worry, anger, fear, desperation. This caught his attention and he hesitated, taking in the visual details along with the random thoughts. Not powerful enough, too fast, couldn't catch him, urgency, relief, stress, not strong enough, too soon, turn, control, manipulation, control, cover him. Dark fire, a scream as it ripped free inches from his hidden head, holding tight to the powerful body that sought to control the beast. This was the dragon, then, the assassination attempt. It must have been the first time he'd used it because Kurama's thoughts were filled with too much uncertainty. But that wasn't what he was looking for. He had to go deeper, further back. He needed to know where the redhead was before the two met, his origins, his history.  
  
The thoughts were darker as he went back, but still that one presence was there with them all. Cold, hunger, worry, sympathy, Hiei, comfort, exhaustion, bitterness, not his own. Zechs frowned, not really looking at the cup in his hands as he took a breath from it. How long had they been together? He'd have to pick a specific point to focus on, the first meeting. This took him in suddenly, deep into a well of emotions more powerful than any of the others he'd touched. Darkness, pain, fear, confusion, tired, so tired and why. The images hit him, nearly as strong as the thoughts and emotions, the real memories themselves sharp in the mind he read. Strangers, in the darkness, cold around him, struggling, no defense, no life close enough to reach with his power, pain and confusion, why, wetness, warm liquid showering him, copper on his mouth, thick on his face, the figures falling away in pieces, pieces, how, bits of cloth catching on his cheek, a dark figure, frightening, blazing blood-red eyes, a bright blade, cut them into pieces, fear, who, stranger, but who, a voice, low, cold, powerful. Zechs pushed hard to see the images better, to sharpen the focus and found himself staring into icy red eyes, death promised on that glare. And hot fire burst in his temples, burning so suddenly he nearly cried out from the pain. He was shoved back, thrown out until he reeled away from the table, blinking in confusion. Hiei was standing beside him.  
  
"How dare you..."  
  
Quatre blanched, Duo going just as white, but Zechs jerked in surprise. None of them had seen the boy move, or even known whether Zechs was reading the redhead yet. How had he known with his eye warded? Zechs froze, staring at Hiei. He had no idea what to say to him.  
  
"I should kill you now," Hiei whispered, his low voice almost too soft to reach the others, his eyes literally blazing a dark reddish black fire.  
  
Kurama flinched, standing quickly and rounding the table to place a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Hiei?"  
  
"You have no right," the boy continued, not seeming to notice his friend. Zechs was still staring back at him, and he moved suddenly, placing his palm over the man's forehead. The band on his jagan flashed darkly, and Zechs gasped. "You want memories? Get past me and you can have as many as you want. Touch his again and I kill you."  
  
Kurama's eyes dimmed abruptly, his gaze dropping to Zechs. "Is that it? You were reading me?"  
  
That hot hand left him, and Zechs pressed his temples, blinking bloodshot eyes up at the pair. He didn't have to probe to read the reproach written in Kurama's gaze. "I..."  
  
"I would have told you," Kurama said, his voice soft and neutral. "There was no need to invade my mind. I'd sooner tell than have you do that."  
  
"No," Hiei said sharply, pushing the redhead back. His eyes snapped to Zechs, and he gave the man a feral grin. "No...he wants to invade, let him. Get past my blocks and you can take what you like. Every single memory, you can have them all. A nice reward for mastering your talent." His grin widened, and the man leaned away from it. "The best motivation, right?"  
  
There was something both unnerving and inhuman about that expression, combined with the red eyes that glared at him. Demon. He could see that now, where that name had come from. Zechs held his silence, not sure what to say. If the two thought it were his idea alone it would be better for all of them. Hiei's eyes narrowed, and he caught his breath. Could he read minds as well? Kurama had said he 'saw things' but not that he read minds, only that he blocked mindreaders. But that glaring gaze seemed to see right to the core of him.  
  
"Accept the challenge," Hiei spat, his eyes snapping over to Quatre. The blonde boy flinched, and he passed over him, looking to Trowa instead. That one returned his glare with a steady gaze and he nodded before directing his eyes to Zechs again. "If one of them touches him, I'll kill you first. If you do it, I'll kill you slowly. Pass my block and you can have my memories. It's nothing to me. But you can't have his."  
  
"Hiei..."  
  
"Do you accept?" The white-haired man gave a slow nod, and Hiei flashed another of those feral grins. "Good. And don't think to go back on this. I don't have to be near him to know."  
  
Kurama gave a dark frown when Hiei turned to face him. "Hiei, there's no need for this. If they want to know about me, I have no secrets. I can just tell them. There's no *need* to take anyone's memories."  
  
"No," Hiei said sharply. He turned his head, letting his gaze slide over the males watching him, and then looked back to Kurama. "They could have asked. He chose to force his way in. He'll have to force his way past *me* if he wants answers now. Tell them nothing." The redhead frowned at him, and he returned that, a slight warning growl in his throat. This was going to be an argument. Kurama saw that as well.  
  
Turning back to the others, Kurama closed his eyes for a moment before looking to Duo. He stared at the boy's wide eyes for a long minute in silence, then a slight smile made its way to his face. "This was planned, wasn't it."  
  
Duo winced, dropping his gaze as shame flushed his cheeks. "It wasn't my idea," he muttered. He'd never felt so dirty.  
  
"I believe you," Kurama called, his voice soft. "If you'll wait here, I'll be back in a short while." He nodded at Wufei. "We'll be working in the forest, so you might want to change."  
  
"You're still going to help us?!" Duo asked, his eyes flying up to him.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Hiei sniffed, glaring at Zechs. "I'll be back for you. We'll work downstairs." With that, he turned and stalked from the room, Kurama following close behind.  
  
Zechs heaved a sigh of relief when the dark boy was out of sight, hanging his head. Quatre echoed that, and Duo turned a furious glare on Heero. "Look what you did. I hope you're happy now."  
  
Heero merely looked at Zechs. "Did you learn anything?"  
  
"Yes," Zechs said, his voice faint. He felt as if he'd run a marathon, his body weak and shaky. "They've been together for years. And they met during something, some sort of attack on Kurama. I couldn't get the details of that before Hiei threw me out, just that it was real, not a ploy. And after that they were together, looking for Yukina."  
  
"Threw you out...?" Quatre asked, his voice tentative. "How could he throw you out of someone else's mind...?"  
  
"I don't know," Zechs said. "I've never felt anything like that. It was as if he were there, some physical force. I could practically feel his hands shoving me away, hot pain in my mind."  
  
"And when he touched you?" Trowa asked, his gaze calm. "He still had the ward, but it looked like that eye did something."  
  
"It was the same block I felt when he was using his power near Duo yesterday," Zechs said. "Not as strong, but the same sort of pain. I don't know how if I'll be able to get around that."  
  
"You'll have to," Heero said, the slightest hint of emotion creeping into his voice. "Because that's the only way we'll get answers now."  
  
"And it's your fault," Duo sniffed, "for not asking like I told you."  
  
"I know that."  
  
The boy's voice was cold, and Duo blinked at the dark look on Heero's face. That's when he realized the boy wasn't as uncaring as he seemed. Heero may not have felt guilty like he did, but he was definitely regretting his choice of actions now. His plan had failed, and not only that, but he'd done just as Duo had warned, alienated the two people who were aiming to help them. Duo's glare faded away. "Well...Kurama still plans to help us. I don't know why he would after that, but he does."  
  
"If it's a trick, then that would explain why he'd help regardless. He'd want to stay close to us, and so long as Hiei is shielding him, it protects his identity." Two groans set up, and Hiei blinked, frowning at Quatre in particular. "What?"  
  
"You just never give up," Duo managed, giving the boy a sad smile. "I guess you're just naturally distrustful."  
  
"I'm careful," Heero corrected, still surprised that Quatre had echoed Duo's sentiments. But then, Quatre was just as trusting. "Better to expect the worst than to be caught unawares."  
  
* * *  
  
Hiei had vanished the moment they entered the restricted area, and Kurama was scowling by the time he caught up to him. "You're being unreasonable," he called, looking over the boy's dark back. "We should have expected this. They're fighting OZ, after all, anyone is a potential danger to them. I do wish they'd simply asked, but you can't be surprised they'd do this."  
  
"I want to hurt him." Hiei looked over his shoulder, sniffing at the redhead's startled expression. "You think I should have expected this? Expected one of them to attack you?"  
  
"He didn't hurt me," Kurama said, moving to stand behind him. "I didn't even know what he was doing until you said it." His friend sniffed again, and he eased an arm around the teen's tense shoulders. "No harm was done."  
  
"He had no right, no cause."  
  
"He had cause," Kurama countered, "protecting themselves from a potential enemy." Hiei remained tense, and he drew him closer, lowering his chin to rest on the boy's shoulder. "And I didn't even notice, so it isn't like I was hurt by it. How did you know what he was doing?"  
  
"I felt it, felt you." Scowling darker, Hiei turned to look at the green eyes near him. "Do you know what memory he was taking? Our first meeting. I could feel what he was taking from you. The bastard centered on your worst memory, nearly got it all, too. That won't happen again."  
  
"Oh...that one." Kurama sighed, tilting his head so his cheek pressed into Hiei's neck. "But you know, I have no reason to hide that memory. It hurts me, but I didn't relive it when he tried, and I have no shame over what happened. I don't mind if they know."  
  
"No." With a sharp frown, Hiei pulled away and turned, his hands catching Kurama's long red sidelocks. He tugged a bit so the redhead's face was tilted down to him. "I felt those memories when he tried to take them, just the tip of them was enough to disturb me. Telling won't be enough, if it were, they would have asked. He wants to see, and I won't allow that. He has no right to see that."  
  
"But you'll let him see yours? Hiei, I know your memories are a thousand times worse than anything I've gone through." The boy rolled his eyes, and Kurama frowned down at him.  
  
"I don't care about that. If he takes mine, I won't feel it any more than you did. But I *felt* what he tried to take from you. I don't want to feel that again. And I *don't* want him in your mind."  
  
"Possessive, aren't you?" Kurama smiled when his friend merely smirked at him. "So what makes you think I want him in *your* mind?"  
  
"Hn. You'd never know if he were."  
  
Kurama's eyebrow twitched in annoyance, but he couldn't really argue with that point. "Well, what did you mean when you said you didn't have to be near me to know if one of them tried again? And how did you feel my memories? I didn't think your eye let you read minds."  
  
"I can't read minds," Hiei frowned, "but it doesn't matter. I felt you before. You weren't loud enough for me to hear you blocks away, but I felt it. This is the same. I knew the moment he tried to touch those painful memories, I felt it."  
  
"How romantic," Kurama sighed, ignoring Hiei's twitching eyebrow, "you feel my pain. That is so sweet..."  
  
Hiei glared, releasing that silky red hair and folding his arms over his chest. "Urusai."  
  
"Oh, come here." Catching the boy's shoulders, Kurama held him still as he dropped to his knees. It didn't take much to pull him into a tight embrace, hiding his face in the light scarf beneath Hiei's chin. "You know I find your concern for me endearing." A loud snort ruined that tender comment, and Kurama grinned. "I love you, Hiei."  
  
"I know."  
  
* * *  
  
TBC 


	26. Power Struggle

This fic is a vague fusion with the original X-men animated series.

Category: Anime, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho, Yaoi, AU  
Warnings: shonen ai, slight humor, slight angst  
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, KuramaxHiei, will be 6x5  
Author: Arigatomina

**Gmen**

_Part26: Power Struggle_

Quatre and Trowa had gone by the time Kurama and Hiei came back into the cafeteria. The other four males watched them enter, taking in their expressions. Hiei was probably the easiest to read. The short boy scowled the second his eyes fell on the table, gaze snapping right to Zechs. To give him credit, Zechs didn't quite flinch, though he wasn't looking forward to being alone under that glare.

"You," Hiei said, "come with me."

Zechs couldn't help looking around at the others before giving a slow nod. The boy's lips twitched in another of those menacing grins, and he blinked. Was that a fang? He paled a bit more as he stood. He really didn't want to be alone with him. A glance at Kurama found the redhead watching him with a blank face. Zechs looked away quickly. Hiei turned on his heel, and he followed the boy without a word.

The moment the two disappeared through the doorway, Kurama smirked. The teens at the table stared after their comrade, and he laid a light hand on Duo's shoulder. "No need to worry, Hiei won't kill him." Wide violet eyes blinked up at him and he shook his head. "He just wants to hurt him a little."

"R-really," Duo said, blinking at the boy's smile.

"He would have anyway," Kurama reminded him, amusement glittering in his eyes. "That's the point of having him strengthen his powers by using them against Hiei's shield. This way, Hiei can settle his own score, Zechs can master his talent, and the rest of you can get the information you want about us."

The teen seemed amused at the situation, not the least bit angry. Wufei raised an eyebrow at him. "You don't seem to mind what Zechs did," he commented. "Why?"

"Oh, I mind," Kurama assured him, his eyes glinting. "I don't appreciate the invasion any more than Hiei does. But I understand your motives. Hiei doesn't care about motives, to him it's the action itself. I'm sure you wouldn't have sent Zechs into my mind if you didn't think that was the only way to learn about me. And I'm not the sort to hold a grudge over a misunderstanding. Besides, I'm sure you regret it now. And Zechs will definitely regret it by the time Hiei is finished with him."

The redhead gave an almost smug smile, and Heero's eyebrow twitched in reaction. He liked it better when he'd had the guilt of failing the attempt. Having that condescending reaction from the target was much worse.

"I see you changed," Kurama said, looking at Wufei. "Then we could head out now, if you're ready." The black-haired boy nodded, and he glanced at Duo. "I know the perfect place for you to practice your invisibility. It would be far enough away from Wufei and I that you won't be in any danger, and deep enough in the forest that you won't have anyone distracting you."

"Okay," Duo said. He gave a hesitant smile. Though the teen's darkly humorous smirk had surprised him, that kind smile was back. Again he found himself drawn to the open kindness in Kurama's eyes. "That sounds good." Turning, he glanced at Heero and raised an eyebrow. "You want to come keep me company?"

"I have some things I need to do," Heero said, careful to keep his tone neutral.

Duo sighed, frowning in disappointment. "Couldn't you bring the laptop with you? I promise I'll be quiet."

The long-haired boy was blinking big, hopeful eyes at him, and Heero sighed. It didn't really make much difference in the long run. All he'd planned was to continue his searches, and chances were he wouldn't find anything new whether he did it in the silence of his room or outside. "I suppose."

Grinning happily, Duo wrapped an arm over Heero's shoulders. "Thanks! And this way you can watch me show off. It's no fun showing off if no one sees you."

Wufei gave a knowing smile at the boy, shaking his head. "But if you're invisible what is he supposed to see?"

Duo blinked, his face blank. "Oh yeah..."

"I'll get my laptop," Heero said, nodding to Duo, "and your coat."

"Thanks."

Kurama turned when the dark-haired boy stood. "May I join you?"

Heero's eyes narrowed, locking onto calm green ones. He was coming right back. Was this an excuse to learn where they roomed? But then, he probably knew that already. He had an idea Kurama knew most of the things going on in the school. And considering Relena had given them their rooms...yes, he probably knew already. Which meant there was another reason.

The Japanese boy nodded sharply, and Kurama smiled, following him. He waited until they'd left the cafeteria before speaking, his voice soft so it wouldn't carry to the students who were beginning to spot the hall. "I take it you're the computer expert?" Dark blue eyes snapped to him, and he nodded. "Every group has one, I'm sure. And you would have done your own research before having Zechs look into it."

Heero kept his gaze sharp, hiding the angry surprise that rushed through him. For someone with no telepathic abilities, the redhead seemed to read him rather well. "Hn."

"I suppose you had some trouble with the records, though," Kurama continued. They paused outside a door, and he leaned on the frame, watching as the boy pretended to ignore him. "Did you come across some missing files, by chance?" That got a reaction, Heero turning sharply. He smirked in silence.

"What do you want?" Heero asked, his voice cold. "What's the point of this?"

"To help you, of course." The angry suspicion in the boy was so thick he could wade in it. Kurama sniffed, tilting his head back against the doorframe. "Are you always like that? Attacking those who try to help you?"

The teen's words reminded him of Duo, but there was too much cunning in the boy. Heero could feel it, and hear it in that smooth voice. He didn't trust him one bit. There was something dangerous about a cunning person who smiled so freely and seemed so amiable.

Kurama nodded at the silence. "I promised Hiei that I wouldn't tell you about myself. He wants Zechs to have to learn that on his own, as part of the payback for earlier. But I can still help you." Turning his head a bit, he caught Heero's gaze, his voice still calm and soft. "Those missing files? You'd waste your time looking for them, they were destroyed years ago. I never planned for anyone to find out what was inside them. But Zechs will learn, if he passes Hiei's blocks. You might as well wait for that. I'm sure it'll tell you more than anything that was in those files. A firsthand account..."

Something flitted over Kurama's eyes, and Heero blinked, some of his anger easing. He wasn't surprised to learn that Kurama had in fact been the one to delete those files. He had wondered how the redhead got to them, but he'd known it wasn't typical of OZ to do that sort of thing. Only someone on a private mission would have a reason to keep the information to himself. But for Kurama to admit it so openly. That surprised him. "And you?"

"Me?" Kurama blinked, his eyes clearing. "Information on me?" A slow smile curved his lips, and he gave a soft laugh, leaning back again. "You won't find anything on me, I'm afraid. I rarely go into the spotlight. Hiei doesn't like it there."

And back to the secrets. Heero glared. "You said you would tell willingly if asked," he murmured, his voice icy. "I asked."

"Oh," Kurama sighed, shaking his head. "I'm afraid it's too late for that. I promised Hiei I wouldn't tell you anything about me or my past. I really would have been happy to if you'd asked me before, but now I can't."

"Hn." Heero turned away to sling on his coat, catching Duo's as well. He took the laptop last, and refused to look up at the redhead when he passed him. Kurama shifted out of his way so he could lock the door again, and the teen followed him back toward the cafeteria. It wasn't until they reached the empty stairwell that the silence was broken, and a strong but light hand caught his arm.

"You won't find any information on me," Kurama said again, his eyes glinting, "because until about six years ago, I didn't exist. I can't tell you anything about my past, but you might want to do a search for Minamino Shuuichi. I'm sure someone with the right skills could learn quite a bit about him." He released the boy and passed him, moving off down the stairs.

A second passed before Heero jerked around, staring after him in surprise.

-

Hiei hadn't spoken when they'd reached the restricted area, and Zechs held the same silence. He still didn't know what to say to the boy, and he had an idea he'd do well to keep quiet until he was addressed. Any way he looked at it, this was going to be bad. The black-haired boy crossed the wide room and halted in the center. Zechs watched as he removed his scarf and cloak, letting them fall into a light pile on the floor.

Sinking onto the cloth, Hiei crossed his legs and gave the tall man a sharp nod. "Sit." Zechs started to, but he smirked, pointing a finger at the floor directly in front of him. "You'll have to be closer than that."

The boy was certainly enjoying this. If he hadn't been feeling guilty, Zechs would have glared at the haughty attitude. Instead, he obeyed silently, inching forward when the boy gestured again. He didn't stop until their knees were touching, both in what looked like a meditative pose. A light warmth reached him through the cloth that separated them, and he blinked down at his right knee. It reminded him of that cool breeze he'd gotten when Yukina was near them. Or the hot pain when the boy had touched his forehead. That thought brought him around very quickly, his eyes meeting mocking red ones.

"Kurama doesn't want you dead," Hiei said slowly, his lips curving into a dark smile. "And he seems to think too much pain at once might kill you. So we'll do this slowly, with breaks to work on your healing powers. Just think, after I hurt you, you can repay me before I hurt you again."

Zechs couldn't help himself, his eyebrow twitched and he gave the boy a strange look. "You really hate me."

"Yes," Hiei smirked. "But I hate a lot of people. You are the first I've wanted to hurt in years. Unfortunate for you."

"Look," Zechs said, his eyes wide. "I'm really sorry to have intruded on your friend like that. I honestly didn't mean any harm. I never wanted to hurt anyone, or to make enemies."

"You never wanted to get caught," Hiei corrected. His smirk faded, a cool calm taking over. "And you didn't hurt Kurama. If you had, then you would be dead right now. He forgives you for your invasion, which is why I won't hurt you as much as I'd like. But you did make an enemy in me, and no apology will change that. Don't waste your breath. You're going to need it for screaming."

Zechs blanched, his breath catching in his throat. The boy reached up and pulled the band off his jagan, and he winced a bit as the pressure in the room seemed to triple. He could feel a weight pressing on his mind, and he wasn't even trying to use his telepathy. This was just what he'd felt in the woods. And the eye wasn't even open.

"Do it," Hiei said. His voice was sharp, eyes glaring at the still man across from him. "Try to read me." Wary blue eyes stared at him, and he sneered, hands curling on his legs. "It won't hurt yet, fool. But if you're afraid of the pain, you won't get anywhere. I'll open the eye after I know you're in. That's when it will hurt. Keep pushing until you can't take the pain any longer. The moment you withdraw, I'll close it again." He could see the suspicion in the man's gaze and he sniffed, eyes narrowing. "There's no point hurting you if you aren't trying to read me. I'll close it the moment you stop. You can decide when you've reached your limit. That's the only leniency I'll give you."

And that was a lot of leniency, Zechs realized, if he kept his word. The idea of pain like what he'd felt earlier was daunting, but if he could stop it just by pulling back, then it was voluntary. That made a lot of difference. While he didn't like the idea of feeling that hot pain again, he was no coward. "All right," he said, closing his eyes. He could have kept them open, but he didn't want to see the boy's expression once it started. He was sure Hiei would enjoy whatever pained faces he made.

Zechs dropped his hand, fingers just brushing Hiei's knee. That made the connection. With the lightest of pushes, he found himself suddenly drawn into a flurry of images, sounds, experiences. He jerked back immediately. "What the hell..."

A deep growl passed Hiei's teeth, and he glared at the man. "Why did you stop? Are you that afraid?"

"No, but..." That wasn't what he got from reading people. Zechs stared at the boy, not looking at the anger so much as his face, his odd eyes. Why was it so different with him? The only time he'd felt such thick vivid memories was when he centered on a specific incident. But he'd barely brushed the boy's thoughts and the power and strength of those memories was like being there. "Do you keep everything?" he whispered, staring at the boy in disbelief. "Do you remember everything so clearly, or has your entire life been so traumatic you hold every moment in full clarity?"

Hiei blinked, his face blanking abruptly. "What?"

"You can't read minds," Zechs said. His voice rose a bit louder, but it was still soft. "When I read a mind I focus on the memories. Each instance has a different degree of clarity. Some memories are so strong in the person's mind that he remembers almost every aspect of that moment. It's like living that moment from inside the person. Those are the significant memories, ones that stay with the person for his entire lifetime. Others are vague, random thoughts and emotions, glimpses of scenes tossed together. You can push sometimes and get a clearer image, but it doesn't sit on the surface like the important memories do. They don't drag you under with as much power."

Raising an eyebrow at the man, Hiei sniffed. "So?"

"I barely touched the tip of your mind and it was like going directly to a thousand of those significant memories," Zechs said. His eyes were sharp now, all of his wariness and fear gone. He was eager and stunned at the same time. "What it felt like - it was like every one of your memories had the same strength as one of those special instances. Full clarity! It was...it was like you'd recorded everything."

"Hn." Hiei rolled his eyes and frowned at the man. "What does it matter?"

"Because you can't remember everything like that," Zechs said. "No one remembers everything, not like that - not with that much clarity. You'd get lost in your own memories if you remembered everything that happened to you."

"Not if you control your thoughts." He was getting very tired of the man's enthusiastic gaze, and he glared. "You wanted memories. So what if they're clear? That should make it easier, right?"

"Too easy," Zechs frowned. "You aren't surprised at all?"

"Do you think I wouldn't know that I don't forget things?" Hiei asked. "It makes no difference to me. So stop staring and get on with it."

To have what was an amazing discovery to him swept away so carelessly made Zechs want to shake the boy. He'd touched a lot of minds in his time, and he'd never felt anything like this. Now he was supposed to just drop it? "Look-"

Hiei snapped, his eyes flashing and sudden heat fluffing the man's long bangs. "Shut up and do it," he growled. "Or get out of here."

The boy didn't care. The sudden burst of heat reminded him exactly who he was looking at here, and Zechs winced, dropping his eyes. "Right." The air cooled slowly, and he waited for it, not touching the boy until he was sure he wouldn't get burned. Then he brushed his fingers on Hiei's arm and started again.

It caught him and jerked him straight in, a flurry of scenes passing him by. These weren't just emotions and visions, he could hear the voices, murmurs overlapping each other, the quiet but low thoughts mixing in with real voices, or rather, echoes of real voices. And the emotions mixed with real sensations, warmth, cold, pain, hunger, everything clamored for his attention at once and he felt as if he'd gotten thrust into a crowd, all pressing down on him. He didn't know where to start.

A scream, a man whimpering in low frightened tones, overwhelming fury and hatred tinting the scene a dark shade, a soft urgent voice, don't kill him, footsteps echoing, coming closer, a deep growl, he dies, a gentle warmth pulling him back, don't kill him, it's not worth it, let's just go now, torn between the two, he deserved to die, Kurama didn't want him to kill, always so kind, too kind, never cold enough-

And pain jerked him from the scene, the sight of a strange man in a dark alley cowering in fear was replaced by blinding white fire that burst over him, surrounding him. It pressed down on him, crushing him in the heat, holding him down so it could devour his mind, and screaming began again, louder, drowning in the flames.

Strong hands caught his shoulders, and Zechs sagged back, his blind eyes blurring the bright light above him. The pain ended as suddenly as it had begun and he shook from the numb shock of that absence. A rough gasp tore through his throat and he coughed. He must have stopped breathing because he gasped, panting as those hands pulled him forward so he leaned over his folded legs, his long hair falling against his sweat-dampened cheeks. After what seemed like an eternity, his vision cleared enough for him to blink dazedly at the dark clad knees pressing his own. And the supporting hands fell away.

"You lasted for ten seconds," Hiei commented. "Longer than I thought you would." The man shuddered, bloodshot eyes staring up through pale white hair. His lips twitched in response. "Catch your breath and you can return the favor." Zechs blinked dazedly, and he smirked, drawing the sword that was strapped to his back. "I'll be sure to make it a painful wound, don't worry."

The boy was insane...and he was insane for not crawling away as quickly as his weak muscles would allow him. Zechs let out a shaky sigh, bending closer to his knees. Catch his breath? He'd be lucky if he could find himself enough to even be able to use his healing abilities. But the memory he'd touched was so vivid, and there were so many he hadn't seen. Yes...they were both insane.

-

"This is the place," Kurama smiled, waving a hand at the large rock that nearly filled the small clearing. Duo raised an eyebrow at him, and he tilted his head. "I think Heero would be comfortable sitting there while you work. And if you stand right here, you'll be in the best place of all." The long-haired boy stepped to him, and Kurama looked at their feet. "There's a cave below us. If you think of the ground as being solid and turn it invisible because it's touching you, then you should be able to see the cave. I'll light it for you, so all you'll have to do is turn the ground invisible until the cavern."

The redhead crouched, brushing his fingers over the grass, and Duo blinked when one of the blades bent and buried itself in the dirt. "What did you do?"

Kurama was silent for a moment, his gaze intent on his fingers. Then he smiled. "There. I've set up some bright plants down there which should glow if the sunlight hits them. Providing you make the ground invisible, it will let the light through and you'll know. The main thing is to think of the ground as being solid. It won't do for you to merely make the dirt touching you invisible - you'd never know it. Just imagine it as a chair you're sitting on, or place your hand on it and think of it as a weapon you're holding. Either should do the trick."

It sounded very unlikely to him, but Duo gave a weak grin. "If you say so." The teen moved back and he took his place, not wanting to lose the spot. Heero frowned down at the ground he was standing on, and Duo smirked. "Sounds farfetched, doesn't it?"

"Yes." Heero sniffed when Kurama smiled at him. He hadn't spoken to the boy since the stairwell, and he planned to keep it that way. He passed him without a word, going to the large rock and looking it over. It was flat enough that he'd have a nice seat there. A quick push and he was folding himself on it. The view also made it easy to see the ground Duo was standing on. If the boy really did make the ground invisible, he'd be able to see what was beneath it. But he doubted that would happen. And even if it did, what would be the point. It was one of the oddest things he'd ever heard of, making the ground invisible.

Duo was still smiling at the ground, and Wufei smirked. "Good luck with that," he called.

"Thanks," Duo grinned, "I think I'll need it." Wufei turned and followed Kurama further into the woods, leaving him and Heero alone. After a moment of studying the ground again, Duo sniffed. "Heero, do you think Zechs is okay?"

Heero blinked. He hadn't thought about Zechs at all, too distracted with the name Kurama had given him. "Probably," he said. "I doubt Hiei would kill him when we'd know who did it."

"Of course he wouldn't kill him," Duo said. "But still, Kurama was kind of creepy earlier, don't you think? I mean, I didn't expect to see an expression like that on him. It was weird."

"Hn. It fit him better than the smile he wears." Duo glared at him, and Heero shook his head. "There's more to him than that nice act he puts on. He's a cunning one, he just hides it."

"Cunning," Duo sniffed. "I know he's smart, but you make it sound like he's planning to get us when our backs are turned." Dark eyes snapped up, and he let out a sigh. "You're so predictable, Heero. When are you going to stop suspecting him?"

"When I know where he came from." Which could be very soon if that name was what he thought it was. And from the way the boy had given it, Heero was pretty certain 'Kurama' was the alias of one Minamino Shuuichi. A search would find that out. "Why don't you get started," he said. He didn't look up, opening his laptop and starting himself. A soft huff was the only answer.

-

Zechs was starting to feel queasy, angry and impatient, a mixture that didn't sit well with him. Shortly after pulling his sword, Hiei had rolled up the left leg of his pants, set a pile of towels under it, and stabbed his sword through his thigh, just above the knee, positioned so that Zechs had a disturbing idea that it had gone right through the center of the bone. And he'd left it there. The last four times he'd tried to heal the boy, he'd been brushed aside, Hiei saying that he'd pass out now if he tried to use his healing powers. Which meant the boy had sat there for nearly ten minutes with a sword in his leg, and the only sound he'd made was a sharp gasp when he rammed it in. Zechs was beginning to feel nauseated.

His breathing had calmed down, and he was sure his legs would hold him if he tried to walk. Inching closer to where Hiei had impaled himself, Zechs grimaced. "Let me heal it already. That's disturbing."

Hiei's brows were damp, but he gave the man a tight smile. "You not enjoying this?"

"Of course not," Zechs spat, glaring down at him. "I never wanted to hurt you or anyone."

"Hn. Once you heal it, it won't hurt. In the meantime, it's good practice." Hiei frowned when the man crouched beside him, not quite bold enough to touch him without permission, but sending him one of the oddest looks he'd ever received. "Why are you staring at me like that?" he growled, leaning away a few inches.

"Practice?" Zechs felt an insane urge to throw his head back and laugh at the crazy boy. "What are you practicing, how to control your pain? I'd say you don't have to worry about that."

"You really think this is that painful?" Hiei sniffed, raising an eyebrow at the man. "It's no worse than what you felt when I opened my jagan. I just accept it better."

"I felt that for ten seconds," Zechs said, throwing his hands up. "You've been like that for ten mi-" The black-haired boy smirked at him, and he blinked, all expression leaving his face. "You're insane."

"You're not the first to think so," Hiei said, his smirk widening. He jerked the sword free and waved a hand at his leg as the blood flow thickened. "Go ahead. And be sure to pay attention to how much energy you use. Next time you'll use half that."

It was hard to concentrate on how much he put into the healing when all Zechs could think about was how insane the boy was. Did he really think ten seconds was comparable to ten minutes just because he had a higher tolerance for pain? What was wrong with him? And why the hell was he so damn eager to get back into the boy's head when he knew - the longer he lasted against the jagan, the longer he'd have to sit afterward watching the boy bleed. If anything, he was more disturbed by his own eagerness than he was by Hiei. So this was what insanity felt like.

TBC


	27. New Tricks

This fic is a vague fusion with the original X-men animated series.

Category: Anime, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho, Yaoi, AU  
Warnings: shonen ai, slight humor, slight angst  
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, KuramaxHiei, will be 6x5  
Author: Arigatomina

**Gmen**

_Part27: New Tricks_

If Duo had gone with them, he would have recognized the spot Kurama chose. The valley was a favorite of his, mostly for the open space, something necessary for sparring with Hiei. Charred greenery still darkened the area, and he gave a small wince when Wufei raised an eyebrow at him. "I usually regrow it after we finish, but Duo distracted me."

"I can imagine," Wufei smirked.

The black-haired boy had been silent during the walk, and Kurama looked him over. He had the distinct impression that there was something Wufei hadn't mentioned. The teen just didn't look at all eager about mastering his skill. His smirk had faded almost as quickly as it had come. And Wufei was avoiding his gaze again. Kurama's eyes glinted and he passed the boy to stand at the edge of the bluff. "It would be best if we work from there."

The redhead pointed at a tall tree standing on the other side of the valley. It looked old, and was the only bit of life amidst the ash and charred grass. Wufei looked at it in doubt. "Why there?"

"It's my favorite perch." Kurama smiled, glancing over his shoulder at the boy. "It's also the only tree I can get Hiei to spare when we fight. Because it's old. The rest of the plants here are young enough that I can regrow them without too much effort. But that...that tree has been here for a very long time."

There was a hint of reverence in Kurama's voice, and Wufei stared at him. "You care that much about plants?" He didn't want to disparage the teen, but it was a little strange. After all, they were talking about a simple tree.

Kurama smiled at the funny look Wufei was giving him. "Some. But that tree is special. It's my tree." Wufei looked like he didn't know whether to laugh or back away. Kurama's smile shifted into a smirk. "I'll show you."

A small smile tugged Wufei's lips as he followed Kurama around to the other side of the valley. Something about the redhead's glinting eyes reminded him of Duo when he was in a playful mood. They stopped near the edge, a large branch hanging close overhead, close enough that he could use it to get to the wide limb Kurama had pointed at earlier. He looked it over, then raised an eyebrow at the redhead.

"Try and touch it," Kurama smirked.

Wufei's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but he took a step forward. He reached a hand toward the limb, half expecting it to retaliate somehow. Instead, it lifted away from him, the other limbs easing further from the edge. "So you're controlling it?"

"Not exactly," Kurama said. "I was on this tree the first time I shifted. I don't know what I did to it, but since then it avoids any contact. Not even birds can touch it unless I'm here. And I can't touch it like this unless I use my talent and force it to let me."

"And you want to work from there?"

"Might as well be comfortable," Kurama said. He nodded at the boy, took a breath, and focused his energy.

It happened very quickly, enough so that Wufei stood rooted to his spot a few feet away. Red hair bled into silvery white, lengthening and straightening, and Kurama's clothing changed the same, as if the colors seeped from him, moving from his head down. The face was almost identical, but not quite so young and kind looking. And the eyes that flicked open to return his stare weren't the wide emerald ones he expected, but narrow pale gold. Wufei's mouth fell open.

"It is unusual," Kurama said, agreeing with the boy's uncertain expression. "I don't know why I look this way, like some sort of white humanoid fox." He waved a hand at his hip, his long silver tail swishing into view. "Feel free to laugh if you find it amusing. I'm used to Hiei's comments, so you don't have to worry about hurting my feelings or insulting me. I've actually grown rather fond of this shape."

Wufei had to take a moment or two of staring before he could meet Kurama's eyes with a sober expression. "I wouldn't laugh. It makes you look older...more dangerous."

Golden eyes sparking, Kurama nodded. "And I am, more dangerous, I mean. But we aren't sparring, so there's no need to get into that." A few leaves brushed his shoulder, and Kurama smiled at the branch. The tree almost trembled when he touched it. Then it lowered the limb and went still. "There. You can climb it now."

The target limb was wide, but not enough to make it safe for them to stand side by side. Kurama crouched near the base, waving Wufei to stand further on the branch so he was above the open valley. Wufei had no fear of heights, and he followed the instructions. Once he found himself looking down into the dead valley, he closed his eyes with a quiet sigh. "Now?"

Still crouched a few feet away, Kurama looked around. "Choose a target to the side of you. But don't bring the lightening down directly onto it. Call it down so it falls in the middle of the valley and try to angle it to strike the side. If you can get even the slightest curve, then you can practice that before trying a moving target."

Wufei looked over at a small jutting rock on the cliff wall to his left, marking it in his mind. A sharp stare at the sky was enough to make lightning fall in a bright streak. It came straight down in the center of the valley, just as he planned. But instead of a curve, it zagged to the side halfway down. It was a sharp angle, but definitely a straight path. Wufei bit back a curse. Of course he wouldn't get it on the first try. But how many tries would it take? He wasn't about to do this all day with Kurama watching him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he turned to tell Kurama he could do this alone. But he bit off the words when he found the teen standing directly behind him.

"The first time Hiei managed to curve his kokoryuuha, I worked through him. After that, he began to do it on his own, getting better with practice. I'm not sure if it will work the same way in your case, but I'd like to try." Kurama gave a tiny smile at Wufei's suspicious expression. "For now, just focus on summoning the lightning and the target. I'll work on the curve."

How did he plan to do that? Wufei frowned and turned away, his gaze lifting to the sky again. He was just about to bring down a bolt when he felt hands touch him from behind. One arm curved over his left shoulder and across his chest, the other moving around his waist. Wufei choked. "Wh-what are you doing?"

The dark-haired boy tensed when he pressed close to him, and Kurama smirked. He dropped his chin to murmur in Wufei's ear. "It isn't what you think. I don't mean to say that you aren't worthy of being seduced, but this is hardly the place. I give you my word. There's only one person I would hit on in this tree."

Despite that assurance, Wufei could feel his face heating from the hard body pressing close to his back. He tried to distract himself by latching onto Kurama's comment. "Then the rumors are true? You and Hiei are lovers?"

Kurama's smirk vanished, but he didn't move. "Rumors? Who told you that?"

The voice sounded calm, but Wufei winced. He shouldn't have said that. "Some students," he said. "Rumor has it the two of you are either lovers or related. I apologize if it's untrue."

"No need." Kurama frowned and lifted his head, a light sigh passing his lips. "I should have expected this. Yusuke has been following and spying on us a lot lately. It's not surprising he'd assume as much. I just hope Hiei doesn't hear of this rumor."

"Then you aren't..."

"Lovers?" Kurama finished, his eyes glinting. "No, not yet." He caught sight of the dark flush on Wufei's face and smirked again. "I have no reason to hide my intentions. And considering our proximity, I wouldn't want you to get the wrong idea. I suppose you could say this is business only." He waited for a minute before letting out a light laugh and squeezing Wufei's waist. "So stop blushing and call your lightning. If you want to get to know each other, we can talk about our love lives later."

"You're as bad as Duo," Wufei muttered, glaring at how hot his face felt.

Kurama laughed again. "Thank you. I will take that as a wonderful compliment. And in return, your friend Heero reminds me of Hiei."

Wufei let out a soft snort, smiling despite himself. "Agreed."

He sighed and tilted his head back to the sky. Again he directed a bolt to fall in the center of the valley, his gaze snapping to the side and to the target as he urged it to shift its course. But it didn't zag this time. It seemed to hesitate, almost moving in slow motion, and he felt something pass over him. It wasn't quite hot, but it made his nerves tingle. Kurama tightened his grip and he felt the teen's face press against the back of his neck, those strong arms nearly crushing him. And the lightening shifted, falling in an impossibly slow but definite arc that landed right on the target. Kurama had controlled it through him. And somehow, Wufei felt a wash of eagerness. Having seen it, he knew he could do that, slow it down, and prolong what should have been a flashing strike into a mobile weapon.

* * *

Zechs knew better than to try and search out and focus on a specific memory so soon. He just had no way to weed one out of the masses clamoring around him. But he couldn't seem to help himself. He'd started this by seeking out the first time Hiei and Kurama met, and he wanted to find that one - to complete the glimpse. It was a self-destructive desire, and he knew it. Luckily, or unluckily, he couldn't focus well enough to find that one specific memory. Instead, he was caught in something more recent.

Dark, weak, warmth, Kurama, too bright, where, dawning realization, Yukina, staring at him, shock, fear, no, why, he knew better. Anger that the only one he trusted would do this, but also fear, she stared at him, recognition and horror written over her face, she remembered. She remembered because of him, just the sight of him, he could see the horror in her eyes, stricken, guilt, terror, his fault. His fears realized, one look at him and she remembered everything. And Kurama let her see him, was watching him, didn't he know what he'd done, how could he. Crying, Kurama crying, those eyes, they had the same eyes, his fault, her because her memories returned, him because, because Kurama saw the betrayal on his face. He was hurting them both. No, no more, couldn't take it, her eyes on him, hurting her, hurting him, both. Blind, struggling through bodies, to get away from them both, to stop hurting them, arms catching him, holding him down, Kurama, wouldn't let him hide, hiding was over, she knew, hiding was useless. So tired, couldn't fight him, no words, no breath, darkness, Kurama, don't let her look at him any more, please don't let her see him, a promise in the dark, fading out but hearing the words. Kurama wouldn't let her look at him when the sight caused her pain, no running, but he could hide without running, he promised.

The scenes played in a fog, different from the emotion clouded haze of the last memory. This one was witnessed through blurred eyes, exhaustion and half-lucid incoherence. Zechs pushed for clarity in vain, and it wasn't until scenes darkened to sounds and thoughts alone that he realized the host was to blame. He shifted focus, instead of forward, he looked back into darkness, unconsciousness. But even that silence was shadowed by dreamlike images. Heat, crackling flames, beast, dragon, hungry, consuming, wanting more, coiled restless, waiting for the merge, patience fed by certainty, it would happen, control comes with a price, he doesn't know, but he will. Sleeping, waiting, bound but not held, choosing to remain, for as long as it takes, I'll be here. And it turned, an immense unseen presence, aware of the intruder but unconcerned, you'll know regret, soon.

Terror struck simultaneous with the expected white pain. He didn't resist the force shoving him out of that mind faster than he could have disengaged on his own. Even the faint echo of screaming, his screams, was better than that inhuman presence whispering in his ear. Zechs reeled back, mindless to the hands that once again shot out to catch him.

What was it? How? An alter ego, split personality, or an entirely foreign mind doing just what he was doing? Was that what he'd sense if he read Une while she was being controlled by Quatre? Only in that case, would it be a soft inviting presence rather than a monstrous one? But if that were the case, it would never have allowed him in.

The white-haired man was panting over his knees, making no effort to support himself. And the visible shudders that passed through his form sent waves down Hiei's arms. If he hadn't known Zechs would collapse, he'd have jerked away from him in an instant. Nearly five minutes passed before pale blue eyes opened, and Hiei pulled back with an intense scowl.

"H-how long...?" Zechs blinked slowly, his vision fogging in a way that reminded him of that memory he'd read. It had been unclear because Hiei had been physically unstable, and emotionally distraught. That was exactly how he felt now. Silence hung in the air, no answer. Shaking his head a bit to move his hair out of the way, Zechs took a deep breath. And looked up into a third, open eye. He stopped breathing.

"Long enough," Hiei said. His eyes were narrow slits of anger, and he had clenched his hands tight over his legs. This wasn't supposed to happen. He'd known the man's strongest talent was his telepathic abilities, but to master it in one setting was outrageous. Any hope of retribution was now out of the question. "You succeed."

"What...?" That eye was staring at him, and he could feel it, the pressure on his mind. But the screams were true echoes, the pain a memory. His throat didn't hurt because he hadn't screamed at all. And even staring directly into that dark blue eye did nothing but make him shiver as he thought of the presence he'd found. "I don't understand." Silence again. Zechs finally lowered his gaze to glaring red eyes.

"What's there to understand?" Hiei scowled at the man, confused by the wary way Zechs had stared at his jagan. "You obviously are in no pain, and I couldn't force you out. There's nothing left now." Those pale blue eyes blinked dazedly, and he gritted his teeth. If Zechs had smirked, or looked the least bit proud at having bested him, then Hiei would have felt better. At least that way he'd have a good reason to be angry. Now, he was filled with wary unease. How could he have done that so quickly? And if he could, did that mean others could just as easily? The thought was more than daunting.

"You...didn't push me out?" Zechs' eyes widened and he straightened suddenly. His limbs felt weak and numb, but not nearly so boneless as they had during the earlier attempts. "But I felt it."

"If you did, then it was only when you wanted to stop anyway," Hiei said. "You had more than fifteen minutes." His left eyebrow twitched when he imparted that bit of information. He couldn't help it. The man had gone from barely being able to last twenty seconds to a full fifteen minutes and twenty-three seconds. And even then, he'd only ended the invasion when he chose to. It was infuriating and alarming. Hiei had never thought there might be a chance of the man actually besting his jagan. He'd known that working against it would improve Zechs' skill, but that was it. Now he found himself pledged to uphold his end of the bargain, and he hated it.

"Then the pain I felt...it was there all along?" Zechs frowned when Hiei merely looked at him. "And I only registered it when I tried to get out."

Hiei's eyes narrowed sharply, something making his senses peak. "Tried? What do you mean? You had difficulty withdrawing?"

"I..." Zechs felt a wash of cold prickle his skin and he could hear that voice again, those words that had seemed to be directed right at him. He doesn't know, but he will. For as long as it takes, I'll be here. You'll know regret, soon.As if that presence knew he was there and wasn't afraid of being revealed. But the words... Hiei didn't know? "There was something that I saw," Zechs said slowly, "that made me want to get out as quickly as possible. That was when I felt the jagan."

Hiei's face went blank as if wiped clean. "Don't speak to me of what you see in my mind. If you don't want to see, don't look. Otherwise, take your fill. It's your right. But don't speak to me of it. I already know, I lived it."

"No," Zechs said. "I don't mean a memory. There was something there, a presence, as if something was sharing your mind and it knew I was there." His wide eyes must have shown the fear and urgency he felt because Hiei leaned away from him.

"A presence?"

"Like a separate entity," Zechs said. "I don't know how to describe it, but it felt as if there were someone else, something else. And it was waiting for something, holing up in the dark part of your mind. It...I think it spoke to me..." His words trailed off. Hiei's expression had changed on the words 'holing up' and the boy was now giving him a strange smirk. "You..."

"That," Hiei said casually, "was not what you think. There's no need to be afraid of that, or to take it as anything other than some part of my consciousness ranting to itself. Let me guess, you looked at my sleeping memories?" Zechs gave a slow nod, and Hiei sniffed at him. "What goes through your mind when you sleep? Dreams? Memories? That is normal sleep, filled with the thoughts of the person, experiences, subconscious reasoning. You looked at a memory after I used the kokoryuuha, didn't you. That is not sleep."

"Your attack?" The jumbled memory had certainly been faint, and filled with hints that the host was weak and disoriented. And the encounter with Yukina, it could have been the memory of what happened after Hiei first used the dragon. But why would that sleep be inhabited by a presence? "It was a presence," Zechs said firmly. "I'm sure of it. And it wasn't just a memory, it was active, aware. It knew I was looking at it."

The man's certainty was combined by an urgent fear. Hiei rolled his eyes. "You think it was talking to you." The very idea made a wide, mocking smirk curve his lips. "You really think an attack would speak to you - even if it had a mind of its own? There is no separate entity in me," Hiei stated. His expression cleared into a sober, but annoyed look. "That entity, or presence as you called it, is me. It's a part of me, and always has been. That is my latent self, what mutants feel as their talents when they suddenly find themselves doing things that seem impossible. It has been there since the day-" Biting off the statement, Hiei glared suddenly. Why was he explaining? The man thought his kokoryuuha was a being of itself. And he thought it had spoken to him.

Obviously Zechs hadn't gone back into his memories, or he'd know exactly what that voice was, and where it came from. He'd know why it only surfaced after he used his ultimate talent, and why it had been so vocal after the first time he'd used his kokoryuuha - not on himself, but on an outside target. And even on the off chance that it had noticed the intrusion into his mind, Hiei didn't have to explain anything. If Zechs wanted to know, he just had to look at that day, that one memory. The man had been so excited to learn that Hiei didn't forget things, surely he wondered why. But if he hadn't figured it out yet, Hiei wasn't about to enlighten him. It was plain that while Zechs had somehow gotten past his jagan's defenses, he was far from having mastered his talent.

Hiei sniffed. "If you want answers, find them yourself."

* * *

"I'm really not sure this is a good idea," Quatre murmured. He'd waited while Trowa fetched the girl, but Une had gotten more fitful by the minute. Now it was taking a great deal of effort to hold her still, every part of her harsh side was resisting him with a panicky strength. The soft, curiously young aspect had fallen into a quiet whisper in the background, a hint of disappointment. That was a good sign, of course, proof that the two were becoming aware of each other. But Quatre wanted to bring that soft side to the surface, and having it take such a naturally passive role defeated that. "She's not ready for this."

Trowa sighed, pausing in the hall outside the door where Une wouldn't be able to see him or the visitor. "She'll never be ready so long as she's allowed to resist. This is better than if you'd just sprung it on her, she's had more than enough time to get agitated and to realize that fighting won't do her any good. If we don't do it now, you might as well forget about the idea altogether."

"But her soft side is hiding from me," Quatre whispered, his eyes filled with the disappointment that tainted his voice. "I would have to crush her anger to bring it back again. The lady is too weak to fight for herself."

The lady, as Quatre had decided to call her, was little more than a child. In her mind, she was still seventeen, quiet and meek and eager to please. Compared to the Une Treize had created, the lady was a bare shadow of a person, a ghost from the past that couldn't quite be destroyed, just repressed, dormant. Quatre had thought of this after speaking to her earlier and explaining about the students sharing the building with them. The lady was lonely, and she'd been timidly eager at the thought of meeting them. She wanted a friend.

As the one controlling her, Quatre knew he could never take that role. Oh, he wanted to, but Une would never accept that. The idea was to find someone the lady would attach herself to in an instant, and someone so innocent that Une wouldn't go near. Une was steadfast in the belief that innocent mutants were her allies, and children to be protected and avoided if possible. That was the reason Quatre had thought it would work, but that was also the very reason he now had his doubts. Une absolutely did not want a student brought anywhere near her, not when she was surrounded by people she saw as enemies.

"I was hoping the lady would be eager enough to fight against Une," Quatre sighed, "but it doesn't look like she has the will to fight at all. She's resigned to losing without a battle."

"Let her see what she has to fight for before you give up," Trowa said. He could see Quatre's indecision, and he decided for him, pushing the door open so the woman on the bed could see them clearly. Une's face had been a mottled angry red, but it paled the moment she saw the girl he had with him. And a violent trembling started over her body, visible proof that she was resisting Quatre's control as much as possible. Quatre stepped aside so they could enter, and Trowa crossed to the bed, stopping a mere two feet away from the terrified woman. "Lady, this is Yukina." He dropped his gaze to look at the small girl beside him, his eyes glinting at the concerned look on her pale face. "Yukina, I'd like you to meet Lady Une."

The brownhaired woman's face twitched, her eyebrows jerking together in an odd expression since her lips remained pressed tightly closed. Yukina stared at her for a moment before giving a sad smile and crouching in front of her. "Hello, Lady. I'm very pleased to meet you."

Quatre chewed his lower lip, wary eyes flicking from the silent woman, to Yukina's patient expression. He'd thought of her first since they didn't know many at the school, and she had such a disarmingly gentle smile. If anyone would suit as a friend for the lady, it was her. But Yukina was so sweet. Une could rip her apart with her frigid manner, and they had no right to subject the girl to that. Trowa laid a restraining hand on his shoulder, and he frowned up at him, shaking his head. He didn't know exactly what Trowa had told Yukina when he'd convinced her to come here, so he had no idea if the girl were prepared for what the woman might say.

"I live here," Yukina murmured, her gaze shifting over the woman's braided hair, and the odd uniform she wore. "So I know the town very well. I could find you something more comfortable if you dislike the uniforms the school provides." The woman stared mutely at her, and she drifted a bit closer, her gaze moving again to those tight brown braids. "You'd much rather wear it down, wouldn't you. Are you afraid someone might get angry if you were to do that? No one here will reprimand you, I promise."

The girl stood gracefully, reaching out as if to touch Une's hair, and Quatre jerked forward, Trowa's grip on his shoulder the only thing holding him back. "Don't," Trowa murmured. "Just wait, you know Une won't hurt her."

"My talent is ice," Yukina continued, smiling at the woman whose wide gaze had followed her movements. "I hope it isn't too cold for you." Pale lips parted and she paused, waiting to hear the answer. But the woman closed her mouth again, giving the slightest shake of her head. "You can tell me," Yukina said. "It won't hurt my feelings." Again, a very slight shake of the head was the response, and she pursed her lips. "But you're shivering. If you aren't cold, are you afraid? You don't have to be afraid of me. I'd rather die than hurt anyone." With light hands, she undid the two braids, letting them fall to Une's shoulders. The woman continued to watch her, and she smiled at those wide, wary eyes. "You have beautiful hair, Lady. You didn't grow it so long just to tie it away like that, did you?"

"No..."

Quatre's heart jumped to his throat at that soft word, not because he'd expected the lady to remain silent, but because Une was the one who'd spoken. The mind he was in touch with remained frightened, defiant, and upset, but the lady was as dormant as she'd been the moment Yukina entered the room. Une was still in control. And yet she'd responded, he didn't know what to make of that. Trowa pulled on his shoulder a little, and Quatre sidled away from the bed, taking a very quiet seat at the desk where they could watch without intruding any more than necessary. He still had a firm grip on Une, keeping her from bolting or any other wayward impulses he caught going through her mind. It was just better that he not be in her line of vision, the two didn't need a distraction.

"I didn't think so," Yukina smiled. She finished undoing the tight little braids and ran her fingers over them, separating the strands and melding them together. "I never cut my hair because I love the feel of having it brushed for me. Niisan used to say it felt like kitsune fur." She gave a small laugh that made Une's face twitch again, her rapt attention not shifting a bit. "I've never held a kitsune, so I don't know if he was right or not. Relena-dono says it's more like neko fur, very soft. Your hair reminds me of silk, like hers. Maybe you can meet her sometime. I'm sure she'd enjoy that, and you can see what I mean. Don't tell anyone, but she loves to have people fuss with her hair."

The pretty girl winked, her smile sparkling in her eyes. Une blinked, keeping her eyes closed for a long moment before frowning at girl who was running her hands so gently through her hair. "I've never had anyone...fuss, with my hair," she said. Her voice was rough, but soft.

Yukina's eyes widened and she let out a little sound of disapproval. "Never? Do you not have any family? No siblings?"

Something shifted over Une's face, her voice a bare whisper that made Quatre straighten. "I had a brother..."

The shift was abrupt, almost too quickly for him to even follow it, and Quatre exchanged a swift glance with Trowa from where they sat. The lady hadn't taken dominance, but he had the distinct impression she'd come up to whisper from behind Une. It was almost a visual image that sprang to mind from reading the woman, as if he could see the shadowy lady peeking out from around the cold lieutenant. This was more than he'd accomplished through days of pushing at her. And that made perfect sense to him. Of course it did. He and Zechs and even Trowa had poked and prodded her, trying to force the woman to do what they wanted. But there wasn't much they could do to tempt her out voluntarily. She was too set against them. Yukina, on the other hand, appealed to both sides of the woman.

"Did you lose him?" Yukina asked, her voice very soft.

"Yes..."

"And you miss him terribly." The woman nodded, and Yukina sighed, petting her hand over silky brown hair. "So many of us are broken from our homes," she murmured, her voice as soothing as the petting motions were. "Most of the students here left all of their loved ones behind. Did he reject you, Lady?"

"No." Une's eyes sharpened and she shook her head, turning so she could see the girl who'd climbed up to sit next to her. "No, he didn't. I couldn't stay with him any longer. It wasn't his fault."

"Then he still loves you," Yukina whispered, her eyes very wide. "Did your parents drive you away because you're a mutant?" Une averted her gaze, and she sighed. "You're not alone, Lady. You're welcome here, just the way you are. And I'm sure you'll see your brother again someday."

"You really believe that?"

There was a bite to the woman's tone, and Quatre winced. If there was one thing they knew, it was that Une had no fanciful notions in her entire core. Yukina didn't seem to notice, though. She gave a lovely smile and nodded sharply. "Hai, I believe that."

Une's eyes widened and she let out a quick breath, shaking her head at the girl. "How can you be so naive?"

Yukina smiled, not the least bit bothered. "As long as you love each other, you'll see him again."

It was so simply stated that Une winced, unaware that Trowa had mimicked the reaction. "How young are you? Have you been sheltered your entire life? What are you doing here if you have such faith in loving families? Why aren't you with your family?"

"I am," Yukina answered. "But you're upset with me." She sighed, her expression downcast. "I never meant to upset you, Lady. Forgive me. We can talk about something else if you like. Books, perhaps? Do you have any interests? I've always loved nature, especially animals. Relena-dono says it's ironic that I do, since my talent is ice, but I liked them long before I knew I was a mutant."

"I don't have any interests," Une muttered, frowning at the girl. "I don't have the time for such things." Yukina's smile faded and she grimaced, rubbing at her temple. "I'm not like you."

The last bit was growled out, and Yukina leaned away, her eyes dimming. "I'm sorry, Lady. There's no need to get angry with me. If I'm bothering you, I can leave." She turned on the bed, sending a look at the two boys seated by the desk. Quatre's expression was downcast, but he gave her a nod. "Maybe I can see you again," she whispered to Une. "If you ever want company." The woman didn't look at her, and she sighed as she shifted off the bed. A step later she turned back, wide eyes on the warm hand that had shot out to catch her wrist. "Lady?"

"Don't..."

There was an internal struggle going on, and it was all Quatre could do not to interfere. He wanted to see if the lady could hold her own without his help. From the shy gaze that lifted to Yukina, he didn't think he'd have to do anything.

"Stay...?"

Yukina beamed, reaching out a gentle hand to brush the woman's hair. "I'd be happy to, Lady. Just tell me when you want me to go. I won't be a bother to you."

"You aren't bothering me. I..." The girl resumed her seat on the bed, and she turned to look at her, a hesitant smile making her face look years younger. "Would you tell me about your interests? I've never been around animals, but I'd like to hear about them. My brother always wanted a puppy..."

"Niisan had a kitsune once," Yukina smiled, "but she was too wild for me to touch. He caught her under our home and she scratched him so much I thought he would get sick from it. But he didn't. She stayed for days, nosing around outside. I couldn't go out, but he let me watch her through the window when she came by. That was the first animal I ever saw. I remember I wanted to hold her so much."

"But you didn't get to?" The lady sighed, her expression just as regretful as Yukina's. "Were you too young to go outside, or was she too wild?"

"She was heavy with kits, so she was too wild. He was afraid she'd bite me if he brought her in and it was too dangerous to go outside."

"Why dangerous?"

Yukina's eyes went distant, her lips curving into a little frown. "I don't really remember why. We were alone for a long time, and it was just...dangerous outside. Niisan only went out because she was scratching under the floor. She must have gotten stuck." She shook her head, flashing a quick smile. "But watching her in the field made me love animals. She'd dart through and the birds would fly up, so pretty. Birds are my favorites now." The lady smiled at her, and Yukina's eyes widened. "I could show you mine sometime," she offered, "if you like. They aren't pets, but they like to be fed from the windows. If you're very quiet, they'll land right on your hands."

"I'd like that..."

* * *

"Heero..."

The quiet whisper made Heero's eyebrows twitch, but he shook his head, not looking over. His search had turned up far more than he'd expected, and he was too deep in thought to be bothered.

"Please...?"

Teeth gnashing at the way that sad voice got to him, Heero turned sharply. "What!" His gaze snapped to Duo and he nearly fell off the rock. The boy wasn't there, and neither was the ground. Completely forgetting the point of being in the forest, he stared down into the cave in shock. "Duo!"

"You see it, too?" Duo asked, his voice still faint. His stomach was doing flips, and he was sure his face had turned a mottled green shade. A glance found Heero's eyes very wide as the boy nodded. He sighed in relief. "Great, because I think I'm going to be sick." With that, he promptly turned visible again and curled forward on his knees, his arms wrapped around his stomach. How Trowa managed to fly around the way he did, Duo would never know. Just the feeling of sitting in midair had given him an attack he could only describe as vertigo. He couldn't think of any other reason he'd feel sick the moment the ground disappeared. And the aching nausea in his stomach had rushed straight to his head.

The immediate shock wore off a moment after Duo turned visible, and Heero frowned at the boy. Setting his laptop aside, he shifted to the edge of the rock. "Duo? Are you all right?"

"No..." Duo knew he sounded pathetic, but he really didn't care. "My head hurts, and my stomach hurts worse. I feel like I'm going to throw up, or pass out - or both." He shivered, the movement making his head throb worse.

A soft whimper ended Heero's hesitation, drawing him over to crouch beside Duo. "Here," he said, turning the boy to him. Duo curled, half on his side, with his head pressed against Heero's shoulder. "Take deep breaths and try not to move."

"I don't like this," Duo groaned, hiding his face hard against Heero's shoulder. "I'm not afraid of heights, so why does it feel so bad? My head won't stop throbbing and I'm all shaky like I've been running or something..."

"Maybe you pushed yourself too much," Heero frowned. "How much effort did it take to turn the ground invisible like that?"

"I don't know," Duo muttered, his voice muffled. "How long have we been out here?"

"About five hours." More than long enough for anyone to get worn if he were using his talents the entire time. Heero glared at himself, his arms tightening around the shaking boy. He hadn't paid any attention to Duo since he opened his laptop and started his search. He'd thought the entire idea was stupid, a waste of time. But he should have known Duo would be stubborn enough to keep pushing himself whether it was an impossible task or not. "Is your mouth dry?" The question seemed to surprise Duo, because the boy stilled a bit before giving vague nod. "We're going back."

"I don't want to," Duo groaned, holding tight to Heero's waist. "I don't want to move. Just let me lie down for a while. You can finish with the computer while you wait. Okay?"

There was a hint of petulance in Duo's tone, but Heero knew it stemmed more from the way he was feeling than anything. "You need to lie down in a nice warm place, not out here on the ground. Come on." Lifting the boy would have been much easier if he hadn't whimpered again. Heero's eyes were tightly closed by the time he got them both to an upright position. He hated having caused that, but he knew he was right. He wasn't about to leave Duo to rest out here. That tight grip on him loosened and he opened his eyes, tightening his own hold on the boy. He looked down just in time to see Duo's violet eyes roll back in his head, his body falling into a limp, dead faint. Under any other circumstances, he would have smirked at the very idea. Now he berated himself, growling under his breath as he lifted Duo and retrieved his laptop. No matter that he'd succeeded in his search with the thing, he was going to have to make this up to Duo the moment the boy was feeling better. There was no excuse for neglecting him like that.

* * *

"He knows I love him."

"I'd think that would make it easier," Wufei frowned. They were seated on the limb, him leaning against the trunk of the tree while Kurama sat a few inches further out. The teen was kicking his feet as they talked, that long silver tail flicking in rhythm behind him. He'd laughed when he first saw that, but Kurama hadn't minded. He'd even returned the smile. Now they were doing exactly what Kurama had suggested earlier, talking about their love lives. Surprisingly enough, the youth was very tactful when he'd called an end to the day's practice - right before Wufei was ready to swallow his pride and call an end himself. Much more of that and he'd be too worn to hide it.

"You'd think so," Kurama murmured. "I tell him all the time."

"Does he love you back?"

Kurama smirked, flashing a smug look at the black-haired boy. "He's loved me all along, that's why I stayed with him. I don't think I could settle for unrequited love. Of course, he's never said it out loud, but he doesn't need to. When you know someone as well as I do him, you can tell without words. I just like to say it to remind him that it isn't one-sided."

Wufei raised an eyebrow, shifting more comfortably. "So you love him, he loves you, and you've been together for years. What's the problem? I've known people who got together mere weeks after meeting each other."

"Duo and Heero?" Kurama laughed when the boy smirked at him, "I thought as much."

"So?"

"It's complicated," Kurama shrugged. "I don't even know how old he is. I think he's attracted to me in this form for certain, but I've never gotten any proof...if you know what I mean." Wufei flushed a little, and Kurama smirked. "Yeah. I hold him all the time, but he doesn't have any sort of reaction from it. The only time I get the impression that he's turned on in the slightest is when we spar, and he usually passes out immediately afterward, so that doesn't help me any. I'm afraid he just sees me as another sibling."

Wufei winced. "I guess you should have expected that, if you've been together that long, since he was a kid."

"We were both kids," Kurama said. "That didn't stop me from noticing him. But I'm older, I had my first 'reaction' to him two years ago. Pathetic, really. For all I know he could have been eleven at the time, and not thirteen. You just can't tell with Hiei. He looks mature, physically, and he certainly sounds mature. But I can't stand the thought of hitting on him if he's even younger than I think he is."

"You really think he might not have hit puberty yet?" Wufei asked, raising an eyebrow. "As deep as his voice is?"

"His voice was always deep," Kurama sighed, his silver ears sagging against his hair. He didn't notice the way Wufei's lips twitched at that. "A nine year old who sounded like he was twenty. My first thought was that he was a midget." He glanced over and gave into a smile at the way Wufei was smothering laughter. "Yeah, that was mean of me, but it's true. I've always been tall for my age, but I have a very high voice. I just didn't expect to meet someone who was the exact opposite. He surprised me."

"So what do you plan to do?" Wufei asked. "Wait a few more years?"

"Definitely not. I'd go insane if I had to wait that long, especially now." Kurama flicked a sly look at Wufei, his tail twitching to the side. "I could be mistaken, but I think I'm in the prime of my life here. I can barely sleep with him without wanting to pounce while he's off his guard."

Wufei's face darkened, and he shot Kurama a strange look. "You sleep with him?"

"Sleep, just sleep. And yes, I certainly do. I happen to love sleeping with him, and I have for years. It's comforting to the both of us."

"Ah."

"Anyway," Kurama sniffed. "I'm stuck. I figure I'll either pounce him during a sparring session - before he uses his kokoryuuha, or I'll wake up one night and find out my dream just turned into a reality. I'm hoping for the former, at least then I don't have to worry about Hiei burning the school down trying to get me if he doesn't appreciate the advance." Wufei gave a quiet laugh at that, and Kurama smiled at him. "Your turn."

Wufei blinked, his smile fading. "Oh, I'm not with anyone."

"No interests?" Kurama prodded. "Surely there's someone in your group. How about the tall one, Trowa. He looks strong. Or the pretty one if you're looking for a more dominant relationship. Quatre seems to be very sensitive and sweet."

"He is," Wufei smirked, "and he'd probably kill me if I went after Trowa, and vice versa. They're a couple. They got together before Heero and Duo did."

"Oh." Kurama sagged, his mental images falling away. "Well, what about Zechs? He's the only one left."

"And I'm not that desperate," Wufei sniffed. "He's a push over. I did think about it for a while there. I know he was attracted to me, and he does have his redeeming side. But I'm not going to lower my standards for someone that passive. If he doesn't have it in him to make the first move, then I'm better off without him."

"Now that's a hell of a way to look at it." The boy blinked in surprise, and Kurama shook his head at him. "Any relationship is two-sided. I might have to do the chasing to nab Hiei, but I'd never bother if he weren't in love with me already. There's no excuse to sit back and expect someone else to do all the work if you aren't willing to lift a finger to help yourself."

"No!" Wufei shook his head sharply, blinking a bit when his hair didn't brush his cheeks. He'd forgotten about having tied it back after Kurama complained of getting a mouthfull of hair that first time working with his lightning. A brief frown and he turned to Kurama again. "It's not that I'm unwilling to pursue someone. I just don't want a person who is completely passive. He doesn't stand up for himself. He has very insightful ideas, and he'll give those with confidence, but if something goes wrong he sits back and takes the blame as if that's his lot in life. I hate that. I know he's had problems, but we all have. Duo has, and it never stopped him from going after what he wanted."

"I see," Kurama drawled, his golden eyes narrow. "You're comparing him to Duo. That's the real issue, isn't it. You expect to find someone who will live up to the standards Duo set. That's hardly fair."

"It's not fair," Wufei admitted, glaring at his folded arms. "But I don't want someone who blushes and runs away when I catch him looking at me, as if I'll yell at him or something."

Kurama sighed, shaking his head at the boy. "I can understand that, but if he doesn't know you return his interest, what else would he expect? Have you said or done anything to let him know that you're looking at him in return?"

"No."

"Heh, I think you're both out of your elements." The boy glowered at the pun, and Kurama waved a hand at him. "Just give it some time. After working with Hiei, Zechs will either build a backbone in a heartbeat, or turn into a puddle of mush. It's only a matter of time. You can't spend that many hours around Hiei without adapting to him - either finding your own strength to counter him, or yielding to the point where you run away from him with your tail between your legs."

"And you would know all about tails," Wufei nodded.

Kurama twitched, his tail bristling a bit. "Funny."

"I know," Wufei smirked. "I'm not as good as Duo is at teasing, but I don't know anyone who is. And like I said, I'm not going to lower my standards. I'm not desperate for anyone right now."

"That's good. Just give it some time. There's never an excuse for lowering your standards out of loneliness. Only, don't tell Hiei I said that." Kurama winked when Wufei sent him a funny look. "I sometimes think if Hiei had met Duo instead of me, he'd have fallen in love just the same. He has a soft spot for big, pretty eyes."

Imagining the irritable Hiei swooning over Duo's eyes made Wufei snicker. "I can't see it."

"Yep," Kurama nodded sagely. "Makes me wonder why he likes me in this form, since my eyes are so narrow. I think it's the tail." The boy choked on another bit of laughter, and Kurama gave him a mocking glare. "Don't believe me? Feel for yourself."

Wufei nearly fell out of the tree, the bushy tail falling into his lap. His face turned dark red and he blinked very wide eyes at Kurama. "That's okay. Really."

"Don't be shy," Kurama smirked. "I'm not going to jump you. I already told you, the only person I want in this tree is Hiei. That's never going to change. Just touch it, it really does feel just like an animal, only softer."

His face had never felt hotter, but Wufei took a deep breath and brushed his hand over the edge of that thick tail, pulling his palm away just as quickly. And he blinked in surprise. "It doesn't feel like hair at all. It's like...velvet or some mix of velvet and silk, only not quite so soft."

"Fox fur," Kurama smirked. "That's what Hiei says. Not only do I look like a kitsune, but it seems I feel like one too. So don't mock the tail. It's the only thing I have going for me in this form since I don't have the big pretty eyes."

Wufei smirked and shook his head, pushing the tail off his lap. "I still doubt he fell in love with you just because you had big eyes."

"Big pretty eyes," Kurama corrected. "And sad ones, too, at least when we met. I think it's called the hurt puppy look."

"I'll take your word for it," Wufei said. He shook his head again as he moved to check his watch. "I'm getting hungry now, so I think I'll head back. You didn't want to practice any more today, did you?"

"No," Kurama said. "You did well for your first day of this. Too much effort would just burn you out. That's not just dangerous, it sets you back for days. Then you wouldn't be able to build your endurance until you can master the talent. And I still want to see you fly. We definitely can't have you burning yourself out all at once."

The teen stood with a somehow taunting smirk that made Wufei's eyebrow twitch. "Right."

"Besides," Kurama smiled, shrugging his shoulders. "I really have to get back anyway. If I don't stop Hiei, Zechs will either get sick from exhaustion, or snap and try attacking - that would just get him hurt and put Hiei in a very nasty mood. Can't have that."

Wufei sniffed at the idea, glowering as he hopped down to the ledge. "I really doubt Zechs would attack him. He was practically terrified when he left earlier."

"And you're holding that against him, too?" Kurama scowled, jumping down and making Wufei take a sharp step back so he wouldn't get hit. "Let me tell you something, Wufei. I like you, but when you're wrong, I'll tell you flat out. Hiei was furious this morning. Livid. The last time I saw him that angry, he sliced six men into pieces right in front of me. It took me hours to wash the blood out of my hair. There's nothing cowardly about being afraid of him when he's that angry. Zechs was right to react the way he did. Trust me."

Something Kurama had mentioned that morning came back to him, and Wufei found himself edging away. Kurama was more dangerous in this form. He could see that now, in the way those narrow golden eyes sparked at him, chilling him more than the warning did. "I believe you," he said quietly. "I take it back."

"No," Kurama said, wincing a bit at the wary look Wufei was giving him. "You don't have to apologize, I just wanted you to know better. I love Hiei, and he is a very caring person. But his anger is nothing to take lightly."

"Should we not have let Zechs go alone with him, then?" Wufei asked, his gaze not just wary but decidedly nervous.

"Oh." Kurama grimaced, rubbing his forehead as he swiftly shifted back to his redhaired form. "No, don't worry about that. Like I told Duo, Hiei didn't want to kill Zechs, just hurt him. I just hope he got his fill of it. I don't want this hanging over our heads for however long the six of you are here. I'm going to have enough trouble working with Zechs without Hiei breathing down our necks because he doesn't trust him."

"Do you think Zechs will hold it against you?" Wufei shook his head sharply. "He won't. He felt as guilty as Duo and Quatre did this morning, after you left. The only reason he agreed in the first place was because he blamed himself for letting a mutant get too close to us not long ago. He was hoping to make up for it. Now he's probably hating himself for failing, and for alienating you."

"I didn't think he'd be angry with me," Kurama said, leading the way back around the valley. "I just don't like the idea of talking to him after he's been inside my head, and definitely not after he's been inside Hiei's mind. I can forgive him for prodding into my memories, but the thought of him probing Hiei makes me want to strangle him."

Wufei blanched, hurrying to catch up so he could see Kurama's face. "Maybe you shouldn't work with him."

"No, I have to. Hiei doesn't have the sort of control to really teach Zechs how to moderate his healing powers. He can get him used to watching them, but not controlling them. I'll have to take that part up." Kurama glanced to the side, blinking at the wary gaze Wufei had on him. "Do you think I'll attack him or something? I'm the jealous type, but I do have self control. Just warn him not to mention anything he saw in Hiei's mind when we work together and he'll be fine. I don't need any reminders. And there may be things that Hiei still hasn't told me about - I don't want to know them if Zechs finds them out. Hiei knows I can't read minds, so anything I know comes directly from him. If there's anything he's chosen not to share with me, I'll keep it that way until he's ready to tell me."

"You're unusual, you know that, don't you?" Wufei shook his head when Kurama frowned at him. "I think most people would want to know if their loved ones were keeping secrets from them. That you'd willingly wait shows deep maturity."

Kurama grinned, flushing just a bit. "I've always been mature for my age. But don't get the wrong idea, that's not why I'm willing to wait. I want Hiei to tell me everything. Second-hand information just isn't good enough for me."

TBC

notes--  
JapaneseEnglish terms: kitsune fox, neko cat, hai yes, niisan brother, jagan evil eye, kokoruuha Hiei's black dragon attack


	28. Exhaustion and Panic Attacks

This is a vague fusion with the original x-men animated series.

Category: Anime, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho, Yaoi, AU  
Warnings: minor angst, shonen ai, light humor  
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, KuramaHiei, will be 6x5  
Author: Arigatomina

**Gmen**

_Part 28: Exhaustion and Panic Attacks_

The trip back to the manor was tense at first, namely because they'd stopped by to meet up with the others only to find them already gone. Wufei was certain Duo would have waited for him before heading back, so he'd half convinced himself something must have happened. But Heero had been with him, and unlike Duo he wasn't inclined to sit around just so he could accompany a friend. A bit of debate on the matter, and Wufei passed it off. Chances were, Heero had simply threatened to go alone without waiting and Duo had chased after him. Heero was still a little jealous of his friendship with Duo, so it would be just like him to do something like that.

They reached the town and Wufei found himself looking around more than he had on his other trips through the place. The buildings were so small and old fashioned as a whole, really reminding him more of a village than a modern day town. The people outside the shops had that same 'small town' feel to them, their voices mixing in a pleasant hum that floated over the main street. And they matched that appearance with the way so many of the shopkeepers waved a greeting as they passed. By the fourth person, Wufei realized what was bothering him about the seemingly friendly behavior. He caught Kurama's eye. "Are these the same people who were avoiding you yesterday?"

"Not me," Kurama said, his voice quiet so no one else would overhear. He flashed a smile at a woman who passed them, answering her cheerful greeting, before turning back to Wufei. "They were avoiding Hiei. They're afraid of him."

Considering Kurama had stressed that there was good cause to fear Hiei, it was a little odd that he now looked irritated by the idea of the people in the town being afraid of him. Wufei raised an eyebrow at him. "Because of the attack on the school when you first came? I heard that it was seen by most of the people here, but if you helped then why aren't they afraid of you as well?"

"Most of them don't realize that was me," Kurama frowned. "And the ones who do know about my other form don't really care. I'm a polite, intelligent, helpful, upstanding youth, and they eat it up."

Something about the way it was stated made Wufei want to laugh. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Sometimes. Especially when I'm with Hiei, who they see as a stain on my otherwise spotless reputation. This may now be a country that shelters and educates young mutants, but the people who live here are still part of a kingdom. They respect the ideal of aristocracy the same way OZ officials do. It's the idea of refinement and airs that appeals to them, appearances as much as anything. Their respect for royalty keeps them obedient, but they don't think twice about snubbing those they see as being beneath their standards." Kurama nodded to a shop ahead of them, where a group of teens were arguing with a man behind the counter. "They'll sell to students, and be polite when they have to, but the majority of them don't like it. Their love and respect for the Peacecraft family is what makes them accept the changes that have taken place in the last few years. And they seem to have marked me as one of the few 'respectable' students."

"Do they know you at all?" Wufei asked. They'd reached the shop Kurama had referred to, and paused outside it, watching as the students bickered prices with the owner. "Or is it based entirely on appearance?"

"They know that I'm close to Relena-dono, and that I was with her father when he died." This caught Wufei's attention, and Kurama shrugged. "My use of plants does make me something of a healer at times. But there isn't anything I can do when a person's heart has given out. All I did was ease him till it was over, and I only did that because he refused to be taken away to a hospital to die. Now the people have gotten it in their heads that I'm part of the royal family, as if I were pledged to marry Relena-dono."

Wufei's eyes widened for a moment before he smothered a laugh. "Really. No wonder you're unhappy with them. I didn't hear that rumor."

"The students know better," Kurama sniffed. "Most of them have actually talked to me, or worked with me and Hiei, so they know I rarely have contact with Relena-dono. Hopefully they'll forget about it once word gets out that Milliardo has returned."

"Zechs? Would they expect him to take control?"

"Not only that," Kurama said, his gaze shifting into a sly look. "They'll expect him to resume his responsibilities as the heir. From what I've heard, he might have more reasons to join the five of you than just being a mutant. He should have had at least two children by now, you know."

Wufei choked, doing his best not to laugh aloud and draw even more attention to them. "He didn't mention that."

"I'm not surprised," Kurama smirked.

"Oi! Kurama!"

"And the newbie!"

Wufei turned just in time to avoid a very familiar and heavy hand that had been aiming at his back. He ducked aside, glowering at the hulking teen, Kuwabara grinning back at him. Kurama hadn't moved so quickly, but he didn't seem bothered to have an arm slung over his shoulders, pulling him down so a cheerful Yusuke could lean over him.

"Didn't know you guys knew each other," Yusuke commented, giving Kurama a light shake before easing up.

Kurama straightened with a resigned smile, his gaze shifting between the two familiar teens. "Wufei and I were working together this morning," Kurama explained. "We left early, so you must have missed seeing it after that late night snooping session the two of you had." Kuwabara froze, his face going a bit red as he shuffled his feet, but Yusuke wasn't the least bit bothered.

"So you guys saw us after all," Yusuke sniffed. "I told you not to make so much noise," he frowned, looking over at Kuwabara. The orange-haired boy glared back, and he shrugged. "So you're working with the newbie, eh? Any chance Hiei might want a distraction while you're busy?"

Kurama sighed, shaking his head at the boy's hopeful expression. "No matter how many times you ask, Hiei won't fight you, Yusuke. Now, if you need help with your talent, one of us would certainly be willing. But an unnecessary fight is out of the question." The boy glowered at him, and Kurama tilted his head to the side, a small smile curving his lips. "Unless you need the humiliation."

"He said that! That cocky punk! I swear, one of these days I'm just going to tackle him and make him fight me whether he wants to or not. Then he'll see who needs the humiliation!"

"I really wish you wouldn't," Kurama winced. "Hiei's going to be rather busy for the next few days, and the last thing he needs is a lecture from Relena-dono for incapacitating a student."

"What! Why won't you give me the benefit of the doubt? You guys haven't even seen what I can do, you just keep ignoring me. I'll have you know I once beat every guy in my-"

"I'm going to go ahead," Wufei interrupted, wincing when Yusuke scowled at him.

Kurama sighed and stepped to the side, Yusuke having gotten in front of him in an attempt to hold his attention. "I'll see you guys tomorrow morning if not before then."

"Right." Leaving them behind, Wufei let out a breath of relief. He didn't know exactly what Yusuke's relation to Kurama was, but he'd rather not have it come out that he'd also been a part of the 'snooping session' last night. Hopefully Yusuke would be too busy bragging and conning to mention it.

The rest of the walk was uneventful, but Wufei got a chance to see what Kurama had meant about the people's feelings toward 'students'. A few watched him as he passed, but no one made any sort of greeting and while they didn't exactly sneer at him, he could feel an aura of disapproval coming from them. The main question in his mind was whether it was dislike of mutants in general, or just young unruly ones. He hoped it was the latter. Relena hadn't said anything about the people having a prejudice against mutants, and it would be rather dangerous to shelter so many in a place where the inhabitants were set against them. Of course, the fact that they supported the idea of Kurama marrying Relena told him they didn't care about mutants when it came to the ruling class.

He had planned to stop by the cafeteria first, to see if Heero and Duo were there. But since Kurama had been waylaid, he headed for the underground area instead. Using the voice code was a little strange for him, considering a few students stopped to give him suspicious looks when he paused at the door. Obviously they weren't used to seeing new students with access to the area. He had an idea very few were even allowed inside. The door opened for him just as it had for Yukina the night before, and he entered without responding to the curious eyes that followed him.

While he hadn't known what to expect, Wufei was surprised to find Hiei standing just outside the door at the bottom of the stairs. The black-haired teen was leaning against the wall, and he flicked a sharp look at him when Wufei opened the door. For a second, Wufei had the distinct impression the boy was smirking at him. Then Hiei's hand shot out, nabbing something off the bottom of his pale shirt and holding it up so they both could see it. The boy must have had very good eyesight to spot that little silver hair. Wufei blushed, abruptly wiping his clothes just in case there were more. "It's not what you think."

Hiei raised an eyebrow, doubt plain on his face. "No? He sheds on everything he touches. Be glad you didn't wear black."

If anyone else had said that, Wufei would have laughed outright. But something in the way Hiei was eyeing him told him not to. The boy tossed his head, directing his gaze to the middle of the gymnasium. Wufei jerked, leaving him as he hurried over to where Zechs and Heero were crouched on the floor, Duo lying between them. "What happened!"

"He doesn't seem to be injured," Zechs was saying. He glanced up at Wufei before turning back to the dark-eyed Heero. "He isn't dreaming, but I'm sure it's some sort of deep sleep state."

"Exhaustion, then," Heero said. He'd assumed as much, but it was better to be sure. He looked up when Wufei crouched beside him, and he shook his head. The boy's glare told him that he was being blamed for whatever had happened, and he agreed completely. "He pushed himself too hard. I wasn't watching him, so I didn't notice until it was too late to do anything about it."

"Then he burned himself out?" Wufei glanced back to where Hiei was standing across the room, thinking of what Kurama had said about the consequences of using too much energy at once. It had struck a definite nerve with him at the time, since he almost always felt weak after attacks that involved a lot of energy. But he hadn't thought of something like that happening to the others. How much effort did it take to use a talent like invisibility? Duo had spent years being invisible at all times, so his endurance had to be as close to perpetual as a mutant could come.

"That or vertigo." Heero shook his head, moving so he could pull Duo into his arms in preparation for heading upstairs. "He seemed to think it was some panic attack, but the symptoms sound more like exhaustion. He said it hit him the moment the ground disappeared."

"He did it, then?"

Heero nodded, his expression still dark. "I didn't think he could. That's why I wasn't watching."

"Complete or foggy?" Hiei asked. The teens turned to look at him, Wufei jerking a bit in surprise at finding the boy right next to him. Hiei sniffed, his gaze still locked on Heero.

"The ground?" Heero asked. "It was clear. I could see the moss glowing on the walls below, no mist or dust or anything hindering the view."

"And how wide did it stretch?" Hiei prodded. "The diameter of the area he changed."

Heero frowned as he tried to remember what that first startled glimpse had been. He'd seen the gulf first, very deep and dark with that shimmering pale green at the bottom. But he hadn't thought much about the width at the time. Now he pictured the area in his mind the way it had been when he'd left the rock afterward. He definitely hadn't seen the bushes that had been to the left of his platform, the ones closest to the clear area Duo had focused on. And the nearest thing on the far side of that gaping void had been an oak with poison ivy growing on it. He remembered that because he always made note of potentially dangerous things, or potentially annoying things, even if they were on the periphery of his vision.

It seemed to be taking Heero forever to answer that simple question, and Wufei scowled at him. He couldn't help but be angry that the boy hadn't noticed how hard Duo was working. Sure, he'd had his own things to do, but the entire reason Duo had asked him to join him was so he'd have company. Wufei was certain he knew what had happened, Heero had sat there ignoring him the entire time. The only question he had was why Duo hadn't done anything to get the boy's attention. He must have been too deep in his own talent, but even that resulting silence should have been enough to get Heero's attention. A sharp growl jerked him from his thoughts, and Wufei blinked at the way Heero had pulled Duo closer to him.

"The trees," Heero spat, glaring as he tried not to hurt Duo with his hold. "The idiot didn't just turn the ground, he turned everything above that cave. I should have known - I could see the trees behind him, all of the bushes and plants, everything was gone."

Wufei paled, his eyes widening as he dropped his gaze to look at the sleeping boy. "Everything...?"

"As he'd turn a building invisible merely by being inside of it," Hiei stated. "That was the main idea. But he shouldn't have done it on the first try." He glared at Zechs, his hands clenching in fists. That made two of them now who'd ignored the normal progression of growth and simply jumped past the barriers. It was too bad Zechs hadn't passed out from exhaustion as well, it would have soothed his anger some.

A building that couldn't be seen? There were benefits to that, if a plane were to fly overhead and be unaware of its presence. But the scope was still unnecessary, and even an invisible building would show on radar. Heero eased his grip on Duo, his self-directed anger shifting a bit to include Hiei. "Why would he want to turn a building invisible? What purpose would that serve?"

"Transfer," Hiei sniffed, still glaring at Zechs. The white-haired man had noticed the gaze and was carefully avoiding it. "If he can turn a piece of grass invisible just because it's touching the ground, then he can turn a person invisible who is touching a floor. The key would be doing it without turning the surroundings invisible as well, channeling it to affect only what he wants it to. Indirect contact would suffice. The same way he might teleport something without touching it with his hands, he could change things around him that have only a vague connection to him."

The possibilities were endless, but as much as Heero's mind wanted to latch onto them, he pushed the thoughts aside. There was time to imagine that later, imagine having an entire group of invisible mutants at their disposal. Right now, he just wanted Duo to wake up. "So how long before he'll get his energy back?" Heero asked. He frowned when he noticed that Hiei wasn't looking at him, but he didn't get a chance to ask again.

"Days," Hiei said, tearing his eyes away from Zechs to frown at Heero. "Unless he gets a charge. Do any of you transfer energy flows aside from him?" He jerked his head toward Zechs.

Heero frowned at Zechs again, but he shook his head. "He isn't injured," Zechs explained. "I can't find anywhere to direct a healing."

"It wouldn't matter," Hiei said. "You retract it afterward. He would need a charge he can keep as his own. Otherwise he'll be comatose till he can replenish it himself."

"Kurama," Wufei said sharply. "He combined energy with me this morning when I was working on my talent."

Hiei dismissed that idea in a heartbeat. "He retracts as well. That energy is his talent, his controlling ability. It cannot be transferred indefinitely."

Rather than accepting that, Wufei found himself thinking back to that very old tree Kurama had chosen. He'd claimed that it moved on its own after he transformed in it that first time. If that were true, he had to have left some part of his energy behind. He turned to tell Hiei about that, and paused. The short boy looked strange, his face was so expressionless he might have been dead on his feet.

"Ask Yukina."

Don't say anything to me, don't ask me, don't speak to me, don't look at me, I hate this, don't say anything, don't. The thoughts were a loud mantra in Zechs' mind and he flinched from it, turning to stare at Hiei. He hadn't made any effort to push into the boy's thoughts, but they were broadcasting so loudly he couldn't help but hear them. Dark red eyes met his for a second before the boy turned on his heel and disappeared in a flash of black. His speed was blatant. Zechs barely saw the door move before the four of them were alone in the area. Wufei and Heero both turned to look at him, and he shook his head. "As far as I know, her talent is ice. But if he said to ask her, it can't hurt."

"Do you know where she's at?" Wufei asked.

"I can't read from down here," Zechs said. "But it would probably be better to take Duo to her anyway. We can't have her down here when he comes back."

"You don't think he went to get her?" Wufei frowned at how quickly Zechs shook his head.

"Not a chance. He left so we wouldn't ask him why he mentioned her, and so he wouldn't be here if we did decide to bring her down here."

Heero nodded sharply, shifting Duo and standing with an expression of intent. "We won't bring her here, then. Lead the way."

Once they were upstairs, Zechs sought out the girl in question, passing over students until he locked on the right mind. His eyes widened when he caught a glimpse of the person she was speaking to. "She's with Une."

"What?" Heero glared at the students who were hanging around, staring at them. They were lucky none had asked what was wrong with Duo yet. He fully intended to deck the first person to get in their way. Zechs held the stairwell door for him, and he glanced at the man as he passed. "Why is she with Une? Was it Quatre's idea?"

Zechs nodded, pressing the edges of Quatre's mind to confirm that. "And it seems to be working well enough. I'll warn him that we're coming so we won't have to bring Duo in where Une is. Just take him to your room and they'll meet us there."

As it turned out, the distraction came at a good time. While the lady had enjoyed the conversation, Quatre didn't want to hold Yukina too long. Rationing her company would keep the lady asking after her, and that was the sort of open communication that they wanted. He didn't explain what the problem was, just stating that it was time to let Yukina get back to her studies. That excuse made the girl blink in surprise, but she didn't argue when he and Trowa escorted her outside of the room, leaving a thoroughly disappointed but quiet lady behind them.

Zechs and Wufei were waiting by Heero's door when they reached them, and Zechs nodded to Yukina. "Duo used too much energy this morning. Hiei told us to ask you if you could help him." The girl seemed to freeze, almost literally if the cool air around her gave any indication.

"He...he did...?"

Zechs didn't know if she meant Duo or Hiei, but he nodded anyway. "Is there anything you can do to help him?"

"I..." Yukina stood for a long moment before nodding her head firmly. "Of course." They drew her into the room and she leaned over the bed where Duo was at. It didn't take long to tell that he was very deep, past dreams and in a state not unlike what Hiei fell into after using his kokoryuuha. Her brows drew together in a frown. "This is good for him," she whispered, "this sleep. But he doesn't seem to be recovering on his own the way he should be. I can help him some, but I don't have enough life force to bring him out alone."

"Life force?" Heero asked, hovering at the girl's side. "Is this a certain talent, or something any mutant would have?"

"We all have it," Yukina sighed, "but giving it requires skill. I need to find Kazuma-san. I know he's done this before."

"Who is that?" Zechs asked from the doorway. "Tell me where to find him and I'll get him for you."

"Kuwabara Kazuma," Yukina said quickly. "He's one of the students, so-"

"Kuwabara!" Wufei groaned, shaking his head at the girl. "Tall guy, orange hair?" The girl beamed at him and he winced. "I just saw him before I came in. He was in the town. I'll get him."

Zechs followed, catching up quickly. "Where did you last see him? I may be able to locate him."

"He was with Kurama," Wufei nodded. "Not far from the school."

Anyone else and that wouldn't have been a problem, but there was no way Zechs was going to try reading Kurama to see if he was still with the boy. Instead, he did a sweep, listening for anyone with thoughts of someone matching the name and description. He abruptly stumbled, nearly knocking Wufei down the stairs.

"What is it?"

"I can't seem to disconnect," Zechs mumbled, rubbing his temple. "I keep getting random thoughts from him even when I'm not trying to." A glance found Wufei giving him a strange look and he shook his head. "There's someone matching that description on the front lawn, near that tree. And he's with Kurama, so that's probably him."

Just like he'd said, they did in fact find the boy beneath the large tree on the main lawn. And Kurama was standing a few feet behind the youth. What Zechs hadn't mentioned was that they were watching as Hiei had a somewhat one-sided debate with a very angry sounding Japanese boy. Wufei instantly recognized him as Yusuke. He joined Kurama, catching the redhead's attention away from the boy who looked like he was trying to talk Hiei into a fight. "Duo's comatose," he said quickly. "We think he used too much energy." He pulled the redhead a bit further away so Hiei wouldn't overhear. "Yukina is there and she says she can help but that she needs Kuwabara's help as well."

Kurama nodded sharply, not asking any questions. With a bright smile, he moved to where Kuwabara was scowling up at Hiei. His friend was in the tree, doing a very good impression of a deaf person, while Yusuke was giving his usual plea-slash-threat. Kurama stood on his tiptoes and whispered a few choice words in Kuwabara's ear that resulted in the boy letting out a very high-pitched squeal, a wide smile spread over his blushing face. Hiei twitched, nearly falling out of the tree, and Yusuke clapped his hands over his ears.

"Baka!" Yusuke yelled. "Scream like a man, not a schoolgirl!"

Nodding to where Zechs and Wufei were waiting, Kurama directed the happy Kuwabara to follow them. He did so with glee so blatant Yusuke sagged in defeat. All Kurama had said to the boy was that Yukina-chan needed his help and that Wufei and Zechs would show him to her. But that was more than enough. The three headed back into the school, Kuwabara pushing them to hurry. With that taken care of, Kurama turned back to Yusuke with an enigmatic smile.

"Yusuke, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I need to steal Hiei back now. We have things to talk about." The boy bristled, then pouted, then bristled again. Kurama just kept smiling as Hiei jumped down to stand beside him. "You can finish your conversation another time."

"But-"

Hiei sniffed. "If it'll shut you up, meet me here on Saturday. But if I hear another word until then, forget it."

"Right!" Yusuke beamed, slapping a hand on both Kurama and Hiei's backs. "It's a match! You won't regret it, either. I'm going to beat you so badly you won't even-" Hiei turned to glare over his shoulder, and Yusuke grinned. "Eh...yeah. Not another word. You two go have your private time. Don't mind me."

When they returned to the bedroom they found that Yukina had already started. Exactly what she was doing, they couldn't say, but it was visible. A shimmering pale blue light seemed to flow from her hands and glint around Duo. Kuwabara immediately pranced to her side, oblivious to the glare Heero shot him. "Yukina-sama! I am here to answer your call!"

Heero's eyebrow twitched at the boy's goofy grin, but Yukina beamed up at him, that pale light dissipating. "Thank you, Kazuma-san. He's very weak from using his energy and his body doesn't seem able to replenish it. I don't think he's ever used it all like this before, so his body can't cope. If you would please give him just a bit I'm sure it would let me wake him." She turned wide pretty eyes up to the boy, an expression of pleading innocence and confidence.

Heero wouldn't have been surprised if the boy had melted into a puddle of sticky goo right then and there. His complete adoration was written so brightly on his face that he thought the girl should have been blinded by it. Then the boy turned to lean over Duo, and Heero moved closer, watching to see exactly what it was he did. Kuwabara placed his hands over Duo's chest, palms crossed, and glowed. That made two people here with visible energies that Heero had seen, but unlike Yukina's pale blue light, this was a deep mottled yellow, bordering on orange. And the way they had both aimed it directly at Duo's heart made him wonder if they were jump-starting him.

A few moments later, Kuwabara let out a deep sigh, turning to smile at Yukina again. "If that's not enough, I'll give him more. Anything for you, Yukina-sama!"

"I'm sure that will be enough," Yukina smiled. "Thank you, Kazuma-san."

A slight case of Yukina-worship. That was what Yusuke had called it, and Wufei could definitely see it now. Only it didn't look slight in the least. He'd call it a full-blown obsession. The girl moved to Duo once more, exuding that pale light of hers, and Wufei caught Kuwabara's attention. "What did you do?" he asked. "I've never seen that done."

"Oh! I forgot you were here." Kuwabara blinked at Wufei, a vague frown passing over his face. "I was giving him some energy."

"But how did you give it?" Wufei asked. "Can anyone do that?"

"I don't know," Kuwabara shrugged. "I've never seen anyone else do it, but Yukina-san healed me once and wore herself out." His face brightened and he turned on the next words. "It was wanting to repay her infinite kindness that taught me this talent. Anything for Yukina-sama!"

Another twitch pulled at Heero's face and he swore if the boy called her sama one more time he'd hit him. The fact that he alternated between san, and sama to her face made it plain that the boy wasn't used to using terms of respect on anyone. But to lavish it like that was just excessive. Besides which, it was distracting. He had half a mind to tell him to leave now that his help was finished. With a dull glare, Heero turned back to stare at Duo. So far the boy hadn't so much as shifted, not a sound coming from him besides his deep breathing. And even when Yukina leaned back again, Duo gave no sign of change. "Is it not working?" Heero asked, his voice low.

"He should be all right now," Yukina said, giving Heero a consoling smile. "His sleep is much lighter."

Zechs turned, brushing a light bit over the boy's mind and nodding. "Dreams. It feels like normal sleep now."

"Not nearly so dark as it was," Quatre spoke up. "If you try, you could probably wake him."

"But this sleep is good for him," Yukina said quickly, turning to look at the blonde boy. "Any sleep should have been good, but he wasn't replenishing his energy like he should have been. Now, he's resting a healing sleep. Waking him would just make him want to sleep again till he's feeling better."

"How long should he sleep?" Heero asked. He wanted to wake him up, if only for a few minutes.

Yukina frowned, brushing a light hand over Duo's bangs. "How much sleep did he get last night? If he's very tired, he might sleep for hours. If not, then he will probably wake soon."

Heero felt Trowa turn a look on him, and he sighed, sagging a bit. "He didn't get much sleep last night." And he'd woken the boy early on top of it. With a grateful nod to Yukina, and a somewhat begrudging nod to the still fawning Kuwabara, he stepped to the door. "I'll stay with him. Thank you for your help, we appreciate it."

"Of course," Yukina smiled. "I'm always happy to help. I do serve as a sort of healer with the students, so this is one of my duties. Besides that, I'm glad to have helped."

"You are so generous with your talent," Kuwabara sighed, his eyes wide and shimmering. "Yukina-sama..."

It looked like they'd have to push Kuwabara to get him out of the room, since he seemed completely oblivious to them. But he floated after Yukina like a joy-filled balloon, his sighs drifting along in his wake. Wufei snorted the moment they were out of sight. "Definitely Yukina-worship."

"Is that one of the two you were following last night?" Zechs asked, raising an eyebrow.

Wufei nodded. "Doesn't he look like a bumbler to you?" He turned to Heero, his expression turning sober. "If you're planning to stay here, I can bring some food up for the two of you."

"Thank you," Heero said. "We can meet in the morning." He sent a look to Zechs. "I've learned quite a bit about Kurama, so you may not have to get information from Hiei. I don't think they're threats."

"You've changed your mind?" Quatre asked, surprise written on his face. Heero nodded.

"I'll tell you what I've learned tomorrow."

They filed out of the room, and Heero sighed once they were gone. He'd wait for Wufei to return, and then he fully intended to take a nap in the middle of the afternoon. It might have been his idea to get up so early, but after the stress over Duo's condition, he felt drained. He wanted nothing more than to curl up with the boy and sleep till Duo woke up. And that was just what he planned to do.

The cafeteria was filled with boisterous voices, most of the students having congregated in the area, with more taking trays outside where they spotted the lawn. A quick look found them a section that was free, and the four of them made a place beneath the shade tree. It was curious that no one else had taken it, considering it was the only shaded area on the lawn. And they did get a few looks when they sat down beneath the tree. After a few minutes of the staring, Quatre did a very light reading to see what the fuss was about. He ended up smiling into his drink.

"They don't sit here," Quatre explained, his eyes glinting at Wufei, "because this is where Hiei usually sits when he's on the school grounds. They're wondering why we would do it twice without even checking to see if he were in the tree first. And since some of them saw Wufei and Zechs earlier, they're saying we must be under Kurama's protection."

"His protection?" Wufei smirked, shaking his head at the suspicious looks they were getting. "It's been so long that I forget what things are like in schools. They may be mutants, but they're still gossip-prone teenagers with too much free time on their hands. I guess next time we should make it a point to check the tree before we sit under it."

Trowa smirked when Wufei did just that. "If he were there, I'm sure they would have been much more vocal."

"True," Wufei said. "But he was there earlier. It's good that we didn't bring Yukina downstairs or he would have met her when he went back inside."

"He didn't go back inside." Zechs blinked when Wufei sent him a strange look and he winced, shaking his head. "Don't mind me, I'm just having some problems with this."

"With what?" Quatre asked. "Did your session go badly? I know it looked awful when you left earlier."

"He's insane," Zechs admitted, "but that's not the problem. He's just been broadcasting since the last time I read him. I can't seem to disconnect, so I keep getting random thoughts."

Quatre's eyes widened and he turned a sharp look at Trowa. Trowa frowned as well. "Are you saying you can't block him?" Trowa asked. "His jagan is supposed to block readers, so that shouldn't be a problem."

"He said I passed that," Zechs frowned. "And he definitely has no idea he's broadcasting to me, so it isn't intentional. Normally I'd just tune it out the way I would anyone who has loud thoughts." Quatre was nodding, so he directed his attention to Wufei. "When someone is excited or feeling great emotion, they broadcast to the point where anyone 'listening' will hear it. Readers make it a habit to only let in what they want to focus on. That's what I'm doing. But for some reason I can't seem to break my focus on him."

"Then you're reading him right now?"

"No," Zechs said. "That's the problem. I'm not trying to read him. I wouldn't do that unless he knew I was doing it. I told him that earlier when Heero came in, we're supposed to resume tomorrow or the day after. I'm not reading anyone right now. I just seem to be getting snips of his thoughts regardless."

"Strange," Trowa commented. "If his jagan functions the way my or Wufei's mental blocks do, then that would keep readers from gaining access to his thoughts. And if you've gotten past that, then you would get any that you sought out. But he never said anything about being a broadcaster. My block prevents me from broadcasting - it doesn't let anything out. His should work the same."

"And it isn't that the block has fallen," Zechs agreed, "or Quatre and you would also be getting his thoughts."

"I'm not getting anything," Quatre said quickly.

"Which means it's me." Zechs sighed, rubbing his temple. "I guess I need to improve my own mental block. I definitely don't want to be listening in if he does something more explicit than purring in my ear."

Wufei choked on the sip of juice he'd taken, sending Zechs a startled look. "He's purring in your ear?"

"Not literally," Zechs said, a faint smile showing his discomfort. "But he's radiating some content thoughts that I really shouldn't be listening to. Do you happen to know why he'd think of Kurama as an overgrown fox?"

Laughing at Zechs, Wufei shook his head. "You really need to block him out if you're getting things like that. But yeah, Kurama's other form looks like some sort of gray humanoid fox, at least the ears and tail."

"That explains a lot," Zechs sighed. "I hope this doesn't last too long. If Heero no longer sees them as a threat, then there's no need to spy on them. And I certainly don't want to do it unwittingly like this."

"Heero must have learned something very important," Quatre commented, "if he dropped his suspicions so quickly. He was set on not trusting them, at least not Kurama."

"I'm glad he dropped it," Wufei said. "I think Duo's right about Kurama. He does have an almost...dark side to him, but for the most part he's very straightforward."

"Oi. You're in my seat."

Wufei turned just as an arm fell down around his shoulders, a familiar boy slouching down beside him. "Yusuke."

"Newbie," Yusuke nodded. "Who're your friends? And where did you take Kuwabara off to? I can't find the baka anywhere."

"He was with Yukina the last time I saw him," Wufei said. He blinked in surprise when Yusuke gave a wide grin.

"That explains it," Yusuke sniffed. "Told you he had a bad case of Yukina-worship. So, you going to introduce me or what?"

Wufei turned, giving a quick introduction to his friends. "This is Yusuke," he said. "I met him last night in the front hall." That was enough. He could tell from their faces that they had made the connection and realized this was the other 'bumbler' he'd told them about.

"Yep," Yusuke nodded. "But you sure do get around fast. Just last night you didn't know anything about the demons. Then this afternoon there you are strolling along with Kurama like you're the best of friends. What gives?"

"He was helping me with my talents," Wufei hedged, not wanting to say too much. "I'm an elemental."

"Weatherman? That's cool." Yusuke smirked, jerking a thumb at his chest. "I'm original. No name for what I have."

It was an invitation to ask, and Wufei smirked, giving in. "And how do you describe it, then?"

"Well, I have this energy that I can shoot at people," Yusuke grinned. "And I can use it in physical attacks, or whatever I'm doing. It's a little like what Kuwabara has, only I don't have a weapon - I am the weapon. That's why I want a match with Hiei. He says you have to have multiple talents to be an A class, but I don't buy that. I might only have one special power, but I can do all sorts of things with it. He's just stuck on the old - one skill means B level kick. Humans thought up the levels, why should we have to go by those classifications? And even if we did, there's always an exception."

That was true enough, especially since this supposed 'S class' was just such an exception to the human leveling scale. Wufei frowned, thinking of his own skills. Aside from being able to block readers, he really did only have one talent. But that hadn't stopped Hiei from saying he was an A class on sight. Did being able to block mind readers really make him better than someone who had a single skill? And Quatre's skills - his main talent was being able to control mutants. Being able to read minds was second to that, but couldn't it all be considered one talent?

The idea that a mutant had to have multiple talents was fine, but no one said they had to be separate, or distinctly different talents. Heero had multiple talents. His speed and his self healing were completely separate. The same was true for Zechs and Trowa, flying or healing combined with mind reading were definitely 'multiple' talents. But Quatre in particular was an exception to that. The more he thought about it, the more it was clear to him. Quatre really had just one talent, mind control. So what was it that told Hiei whether a mutant were A class or below? And if it really was the number of talents, did that mean those of them with only one main talent had others they were unaware of?

"So what about your friends?" Yusuke prodded, drawing Wufei's attention back to him. The others exchanged a quick glance and he raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter?"

Wufei answered it, keeping to main talents. "Quatre's a psychic, Zechs is a healer, and Trowa flies." He had an idea it was best if they didn't publicize the fact that they all had 'multiple' talents, not if the rest of the students were B class mutants.

"Those are pretty tame," Yusuke sighed, giving Quatre a sympathetic look. "Not much fun having talents you can't fight with. But still, reading minds could be neat." The blonde boy was watching him, clearly unsure what to say to that, and Yusuke leaned forward with a wide smile. "I've never talked to a mind reader before. Can you read what I'm thinking right now?"

Trowa's expression closed off, his left eyebrow twitching suddenly, and Quatre's eyes widened as a blush flamed over his cheeks. "Yes," Quatre said sharply, leaning closer to Trowa. "But I'm not interested." Yusuke grinned at him, and he blinked, his face shifting from pink to white. "And neither is Wufei!"

"What?" Wufei raised an eyebrow, looking from Quatre's horrified expression to Yusuke's sly grin. "Exactly what are you thinking over there?" he asked the Japanese boy.

"Heh, just playing with your friend here," Yusuke grinned, waving a hand at Wufei. He turned back to Quatre and gave the boy a less aggressive smile. "Really, I don't do things like that, I just wanted to see your reaction if you read what I was imagining. You should have seen your face." Quatre's stricken expression settled into an embarrassed flush, and Yusuke laughed. "Don't your friends ever do stuff like that? Not what I was thinking! I mean imagine stuff, play with the talent."

"No," Quatre said softly, still uncomfortable. He really couldn't help it, and knowing that Trowa had seen that graphic 'image' as well made him want to crawl under a rock somewhere. It was lucky that Wufei couldn't read minds or he'd probably have strangled Yusuke for thinking what he had. Quatre's gaze shifted with his thoughts and he blushed again. He could barely look at Wufei without picturing the 'scene' Yusuke had given him. That was the last time he'd looked into that boy's mind. Even if it wasn't real, Yusuke had one vivid imagination.

"You should," Yusuke smirked, "that's the whole fun of being a mutant. You can do all sorts of things regular people can't. Take me, for instance. I used to use mine all the time before I came here, scaring the crap out of the gangs in my hometown. It was a lot more fun than just picking fights."

"How old are you?" Zechs asked, frowning at the boy. He'd also picked up on those images and he couldn't for the life of him see why Yusuke would send something so crude to Quatre. A person didn't need to read minds to tell Quatre wasn't the sort to joke about things like that. As for the image of Wufei...he didn't even want to think about that. It would take days to get that one burned out of his psyche.

"Me?" Yusuke asked, blinking in surprise. "Sixteen. Why? How old are you?"

"Nineteen." His friends turned to stare at him, and Zechs shifted, clamping down so he wouldn't have to hear the surprised thoughts coming from Quatre and Wufei. As it was, Yusuke also noticed the looks they were giving him, and his suspicious thoughts were even louder.

"Wait, you guys didn't know how old he is, either?" Yusuke frowned, looking from Zechs to the blonde boy seated beside him. "Did you all just meet up here, then?"

Quatre smiled quickly, nodding. "We met recently, yes." He had to resist sending another look at Zechs. Nineteen? The man looked to be in his early twenties at the youngest. Was it a lie to throw Yusuke off track? But why would he bother to lie about his age? Keeping his calm gaze on Yusuke, Quatre passed a thought to Zechs. "This school is a great place for mutants to meet."

"I guess," Yusuke said, relaxing against the tree. He was still frowning, something niggling at the back of his mind, just out of reach. "But I haven't really tried to meet that many kids here. Most of them clench up in their little groups. It's just like being back in high school again. If I hadn't come here with Kuwabara I probably wouldn't talk to anyone but Kurama and Hiei. The rest of the students just act like babies half the time."

"You came with Kuwabara?" Quatre asked, encouraging him to talk more. He hadn't gotten any response from Zechs, and when he brushed the man's mind he'd met a sharp wall. That was probably to block out Hiei's errant thoughts, so there was no point pressing on it now. Getting past walls was one of those things Quatre still had trouble with, the same reason he couldn't read any more from Wufei than general emotions.

"We went to school together," Yusuke nodded. "His sister was the one who suggested we come here. Of course, my mom couldn't have cared less, and we hardly ever went to school anyway. This place is about the same when you really get down to it, only fewer classes and no nosy teachers whining if you don't show up. Less people to fight, though. They keep their streets clean here, no pick-pockets, nothing. It's really dull after a while. I mean, I can only beat up Kuwabara so much before we have to call it quits - wouldn't want to kill him, after all. No one else cares to fight each other, so there isn't much to do here. That's why I wanted to challenge Hiei. Him and Kurama are the only ones who know how fun it is to spar, and they won't do it if people are watching. It 'counters the pacifism this school is governed by' or some lark like that. Kurama has this whole spiel about not wanting to 'corrupt' the students, so they tell people it's too dangerous to go near them when they're fighting."

The boy scowled for a moment, then his head jerked up and he flashed them all a bright smile. Wufei raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"

"Saturday," Yusuke grinned. "I got a date with Hiei on Saturday!" Wufei gave him a funny look, and he laughed. "Heh, you know how I said I wanted to have a match with him? Well, he finally agreed this afternoon. You can come watch if you want. I mean, it's Hiei, not Kurama, so it shouldn't be a problem. Kurama's the one who doesn't want to fight in front of the students. I don't think Hiei could care less."

Wufei frowned. "Didn't you say Hiei kept an eye out for you and Kuwabara so you wouldn't be able to watch their sparring matches? What makes you think he'd want other people watching him fight with you?"

"Oh that," Yusuke sniffed. "With me it won't matter. He just doesn't want people butting in on his 'private time' with Kurama. The first time I found out they were fighting in the woods, I went down to watch. I could tell from the way Hiei reacted that Kurama's the reason they don't want people watching them. Because of that silver fox form of his." He gave a wry smile and winked conspiratorially. "If you ask me, he just doesn't like to share Kurama when he looks that way. That's why I call it their private time."

A cool cold voice echoed in Wufei's mind, 'who told you that?' He winced, shaking his head at Yusuke. "I really don't think you should imply things like that about them. That they're lovers, I mean. I get the feeling they wouldn't appreciate the rumors."

"What?" Yusuke stared for a long moment before turning a sharp look on the three sitting across from him and Wufei. "You guys wouldn't repeat what I said, would you? To the other students, I mean?" Quatre shook his head immediately, and Yusuke smiled in relief. Turning back to Wufei, he caught the boy's shoulder and gave him a light shake. "I'm not a gossip, newbie. I just tell my friends what I think they should know. You and Kuwabara, and your friends here. Did you really think I would go around telling those kids out there that Kurama and Hiei are sleeping together?" He raised an eyebrow, disgust written over his face. "Talk about a bunch of bigots, I'd never tell them anything like that. Hell, the only reason I told you was because I figured you already saw the way they were lying in that tree together, so you'd be thinking about the same thing yourself if you ever talked to them. That's why I drug you to the cafeteria afterward, to make sure -you- wouldn't be starting any rumors. Had to check you out, if you know what I mean." He shrugged, tossing an arm around Wufei's shoulders. "You were cool."

"I see," Wufei said. That was a relief, but now he understood why Kurama had been so surprised by his question. Yusuke had told him the students figured they were either lovers or related, and since Yusuke was a student himself, it was true. The rest of the student body probably assumed they were related then, from having witnessed that first scene on the lawn when they arrived. But he doubted many had snuck around at night to see them being 'close' aside from Yusuke and Kuwabara.

"Yeah, well, I still think they're lovers," Yusuke shrugged. "I don't know if they're actually shacking up, but they're definitely a couple. It's as obvious as you guys."

The boy had nodded to him and Trowa, and Quatre's eyes widened, a faint blush rising to his cheeks. He was still sitting rather close to Trowa, but he didn't think it was that obvious. "What gave us away?" Quatre asked. Yusuke laughed, and he frowned at the boy.

"You kidding?" Yusuke smirked. "The way you blushed and moved closer to him when I imagined you earlier, and his face. If you really expect to hide that you're an A class, you should learn to control your face better, Trowa. You looked about ready to rip my head off." Wufei's shoulders tensed under his arm, and Yusuke blinked over at him. "What? You did say his main talent was flying, right? So if he read my mind earlier, that would mean he has at least two talents. And everyone knows multiple talents mean A class. What's the matter? Didn't you know?"

"I knew," Wufei muttered, discomfort twisting his stomach.

"Then what's the problem? Did you think I'd be jealous?" Dark eyes flicked to him, and Yusuke grinned. "Don't be dense. I told you, I might only have one talent, but I know I'm an A class mutant. I just need to beat Hiei to prove it."

Quatre gave an uncertain smile, a little uncomfortable himself. He really didn't like this secrecy, not when Yusuke was being so very blunt with them about himself. "We were told none of the students were above B class, so we didn't want anyone to get angry or wary."

"Oh," Yusuke nodded, "that's smart. But you didn't have to worry about that. Everyone loves Yukina, so they're used to A class mutants."

Zechs flinched, his eyes wide. "That's right," he whispered. "Ice and healing. If she has both then that would make her A class."

"Yep," Yusuke said. "And she was the reason they started the school to begin with, seeing as how the king liked her so much. I mean, who could resist Yukina? She's like the sweetest person you'd ever meet, nothing scary or 'demonic' about her. That's why the townfolk didn't throw a fuss when they started the school." He smirked, leaning on Wufei and lowering his voice. "Did you know the people here actually thought all the students would be like her? It's really funny if you think about it. They were expecting a school full of sweet little pacifists and here they got themselves a bunch of rowdy teenage outcasts."

An A class and an S class related to each other? Zechs frowned at Yusuke, his mind twisting around this little revelation. Heero had hypothesized that Hiei and Yukina were twins, so maybe that explained it. He'd never heard of sibling mutants. In fact, most mutants were so rare you'd find maybe one for each kingdom, or one for every few thousand people. The only exceptions were close-packed countries with people from varied origins, like the Americas, where breeding between various races and ethnicities made the genetic chances of mutant ability more likely. But even then, he'd never heard of mutants who were related to each other. A set of twins was even more rare. As far as he knew no cases had arisen in which a twin was deemed a mutant and the other not - so maybe twins were the exception to the rule. Still, both being such high classed mutants? It was hard to believe OZ hadn't latched onto the pair for experimentation. They were bound to reveal answers to the genetic lineup that had caused mutations in the first place.

"I forgot that Yukina had an affinity to ice," Wufei was saying, a small frown curving his lips. "I did notice that the air seemed a bit cooler near her."

"Oh yeah," Yusuke nodded. "But that's the only real time you notice it. I mean, she never uses it, and according to Kuwabara she just feels a little cool." He smirked widely. "When he blushes she usually comments on how warm he is and asks if he has a fever, it's really funny. But I guess it doesn't hurt her to touch people. She just avoids it in case it upsets anyone. She's like that. But the only time anyone saw proof that she uses ice was after that attack, you know the one I told you about?" Wufei nodded. "Well, when Kurama went in with Hiei afterward some of the students in the hall said she cried ice." The others looked at him, and Yusuke shook his head. "I know it sounds weird but they swore up and down she cried and her tears turned into pearls or something, like they were little glittery balls of ice. That's what she wears on her neck, you know - to get into the downstairs area. I think Relena has one, too. So I guess it wasn't regular ice, the kind that melts, but they were definitely like ice. Kuwabara's seen her necklace and he swears up and down that it's a gem. But I believe that she really did cry it and it just turned into that after it fell."

Wufei thought back to the little round stone Yukina had used on the door to the room for the voice recording. "Ice that doesn't melt..."

"It would have to be," Yusuke shrugged. "If it melted she couldn't very well wear it. It would have been just a little wet spot on the floor where it landed, and even if she were keeping it frozen herself, that wouldn't explain the one Relena has - she'd be walking around with a wet shirt after a few minutes."

That last bit had been intended as a joke, but Wufei barely noticed. Wet floor, wet clothing...'everything was completely soaked...' That description sent alarm bells off in Wufei's mind and his eyes widened suddenly, flying to Zechs. The white-haired man caught his gaze and gave a slow nod, proving that he'd either read his mind or had thought of the same thing. Twins, one of which had a talent for ice, a weapon that would disappear without a trace once it melted. Only it had left a trace. It had left the entire room soaked. They'd assumed Hiei was the one responsible, they hadn't counted on there being another mutant present at the time. But Yukina? If that were true, surely OZ had made the connection. The girl had to be an identified mutant, what with her adoption being the reason for the school.

Zechs hadn't read Wufei's mind, but he was sure he knew what the boy was thinking. He should have made the connection sooner. Hiei's talents were the opposite of Yukina's, fire and ice, and that should have clicked the moment Heero mentioned that their foster father had been found in a wet room - something fire couldn't have caused. Of course, if it wasn't one of them it made sense that it would be the other. And ice would definitely be strong enough to crush an organ, releasing it once it melted with the liquid settling in the body without a trace. So why had it remained a mysterious death in OZ's files? Such an obvious explanation, Treize had to know. But as much as he wondered why OZ hadn't done anything about the twins, something else was drawing his mind away. It was the idea of Yukina killing someone. That just didn't fit with the girl he'd met, or the gentle mind he'd brushed earlier. Even with just a brief contact like that, he had gotten a reassuring 'aura' from her. She exuded gentleness, and any suffering hurt her more than her own. That was the type of person she was and it was written so clearly over her being that a mere brush of her mind proved it. How could she have killed?

'If you want answers, find them yourself.'

The arm on his shoulders tightened suddenly, and Wufei blinked in surprise at Yusuke. The boy had flinched and was looking around him with a suspicious expression. It reminded him of how the boy had pinpointed him in the stairwell the night before. "What is it?"

Yusuke scowled, staring up into the empty tree behind them before scanning the lawn again. "I thought Hiei was looking at me." That odd statement made Wufei raise an eyebrow, and he shook his head. "You know how you get the feeling someone's staring at you? Like the hairs on the back of your neck rise? It's like that. But I don't see him."

Wufei wondered briefly at that, but he did know the sensation. It wasn't a mutant ability since humans frequently had that feeling. But Yusuke hadn't said 'someone' was looking at him, he'd said Hiei specifically. Turning, he looked over at Zechs and Quatre to see what they made of it. And his eyes widened. Zechs' face was ashen, his hands curled in his lap, and Quatre was watching him with what looked like a concentrated glare. "Guys?" Trowa shook his head at him, reminding him of Yusuke's presence and he ducked out of the boy's loose grip. "Yusuke, would you mind showing me this power of yours? We could use the area downstairs. Hiei and Kurama aren't there, and I do have access to it."

"You do!" That managed to work as a great distraction, Yusuke jumping to his feet with wide eyes. "How did you manage that?"

"We're working with Kurama and Hiei to build our talents," Wufei said, drawing the boy after him, "so they thought we should be able to go in there instead of having to use the woods all the time."

"I can see that, but I can't believe they'd give you access just for that. I've never even been down there, almost no one has."

The two moved off, Wufei throwing one quick glance back at the others. He hated being left out of whatever was happening, but he'd just have to come back and get filled in later.

Neither Quatre nor Zechs noticed when the boys left, and Trowa turned his attention back to that dark 'cloud' surrounding them. It was numbing, reminding him of the mindless haze he felt when he dropped his control. And there was no need to wonder where it came from; it had a distinct signature to it, that pressing force he'd felt when Duo first met up with Kurama and Hiei and they'd lost contact with him. What he didn't understand was why it seemed to emanate from Zechs rather than an outside source. And oddly enough, he couldn't see through it. Not a block, but some sort of cloud masking the mind, hiding it from 'sight' of even his mind-reading abilities. It left him outside with nothing to do but hold Quatre's shoulders. His lover was focused on controlling rather than reading, and that looked like it might have more effect than his attempt had.

If he'd been able to read Trowa's mind, Quatre might have told him this wasn't a block. Oh, Zechs still had his block up and active, and Quatre couldn't read past it any more than he'd been able to a moment ago. At best, he had felt the man's emotions, sudden shock, terror, and blind panicky resistance that reminded him of Une when he'd forced her to obey him. That was what had made him use his powers. Now he was focused on making the man drop his shield so he could see what was attacking him, for it was surely an attack of some kind. Quatre knew he couldn't read past shields, but he'd never really tried to force a mutant to drop his shield. If he could control mutants, surely he could force them to let go of voluntary mental shields. Unlike Trowa or Wufei, Zechs didn't have an involuntary shield. He put it up and dropped it himself, so controlling him should have controlled the shield. Only Zechs didn't want to drop it, and the result was a battle that left Quatre strained and guilty. In trying to help his friend fight whatever was hurting him, he was he was in fact attacking him as well.

The struggle heightened until a crack appeared in that black block, a small crevice at best, through which something sprang free. Quatre grasped at it, meaning to identify the thought, or presence, whatever it was. And the backlash caught him in a blaze of pain unlike anything he could remember. It was like pure mental fire striking his mind and just that small wisp made him reel physically, his jaws snapping shut, instinctively swallowing the cry that tried to break free. He withdrew so fast he might have fallen if Trowa hadn't been crouched behind him.

Trowa's take on what happened was clearer, so he wasn't surprised when the boy fell back. Quatre's control had done just what he'd intended, caused Zechs to loosen his mental block. And now he knew why the man had resisted him so much. Even that slight break in his block was enough to hurt Quatre's unguarded, focused mind. Aware that students were starting to send looks at them, Trowa kept his voice low. "Quatre? Stop pushing." The boy was breathing raggedly through his nose, his teeth clenched shut, and he gave a faint nod. The pressure surrounding them seemed to lift after a moment, as if a cool breeze swept past, blowing away the smokey haze. And Zechs opened his eyes.

"Never...never do that again," he whispered, his aching hands uncurling slowly. He turned a worn look to Quatre, anger shifting to worry when he saw the boy's pained face. "With a block...you might have had...enough protection. But...to force it like that..."

"Not here," Trowa said, eyeing the man. "Can you move? We should get away from the students."

Zechs nodded, his joints seeming to crick when he straightened his legs. He felt as if he'd been sitting with tense muscles for hours, like the joints would break if forced into motion now. But weak as they felt, his muscles obeyed him. Quatre hadn't faired so well, leaning heavily on Trowa. Their progress inside was doubly slow as a result, but he didn't particularly care about the curious eyes that followed them. He'd never had a mindreader search him before, not one who could control him as well. And as strong as his own psychic talent was, Quatre had an iron force when it came to control. It had taken every bit of him to resist the boy and even that hadn't been enough. It was like having someone come in and pry his mind open, a shocking attack that was even worse than the one that had made him lock down to begin with. Oh, Hiei was in for a rude awakening once he started working with Quatre. If he thought having him best his jagan was bad, he was bound to be furious once the seemingly sweet boy exerted control over him.

They went to Trowa's room, where Quatre immediately shuffled to sit against the headboard, his pale face spotted with sweat. Zechs sank down beside the bed, leaning his head back on it while Trowa frowned down at the both of them. Folding his arms, Trowa directed his gaze to Zechs first. "What was that?"

"I'm not exactly sure," Zechs warned, taking deep breaths to calm his pulse. "You know how I said I was getting random thoughts from Hiei? What I didn't mention was that earlier I felt something in him, like some alien presence in his mind. He passed it off, but I know what I sensed. Just now I was thinking of Yukina, about her talent being ice and how that man was found in a wet room. That made me think of Hiei and then it hit me, like I was reading him again. I didn't plan to, and I don't know if I actually tried to read him or if one of his thoughts just got to me despite my mental block. Regardless, it was that dark...thing, that presence. I panicked." He turned his head without lifting it, dark gaze shifting to where Quatre was watching him with tired eyes. "I was trying not to hear it when you jumped in. What the hell were you thinking?"

Hurt blazed over Quatre's pale face and he frowned at Zechs. "I wanted to help you...I thought something was attacking you, but I couldn't tell what it was because you'd blocked me out. I just thought if I got past your block I'd be able to help."

Zechs winced at the reproachful look Trowa shot him, but he kept his tired focus on Quatre. "Have you ever used your controlling talent on a telephath?" The boy frowned and Zechs closed his eyes. "It was worse than trying to resist Hiei's jagan, a direct attack on my will, not just my mind. Complete domination. If I'd known you would react that way, I'd sooner have listened to whatever thoughts that thing in Hiei's head was trying to send me. That I might have a chance of resisting. You, though, you're horrifying."

Wide eyes shimmered in a very pale face, and Trowa sat down beside Quatre, pulling the boy against his side. Quatre bit his lip, pressing close to the teen's warmth. "I'm sorry," he said quickly, "I didn't know. I would never have...I'm so sorry..."

"You were trying to help," Zechs sighed. He opened his eyes and gave a pained smile to the boy. "I know you had good intentions. Just please, never do that to me again. I don't think I can handle it. And this time you nearly got yourself hurt as well. That mental block you were trying so hard to make me drop? That wasn't just keeping you out, it was keeping those thoughts in - the ones Hiei was sending me. And just like I had to pass the jagan to read those, you would have to do the same. It took a lot of pain before I managed to disregard that defense of his. If I had dropped that shield like you wanted me to, you would have taken the full brunt of it. And as forceful as you were, it would have hit you like a freight train." The blonde boy had lost his guilty, almost tearful expression and was starting to look worried instead. Zechs nodded to Trowa. "It isn't quite like your uncontrolled mind," he told the boy, "but similar. The immediate force of it is enough to render a psychic senseless. Quatre would need to build a tolerance before taking it head on."

Quatre's voice was soft, almost emotionless. "Then you weren't just resisting me to keep out those thoughts, you were protecting me at the same time."

Zechs gave a weak laugh, shaking his head. "Don't think I'm a saint here. My first instinct was to keep that thing out of my head, pure cowardice really. I can't help but feel like it's a sentient being or something. It scares me. Protecting you was second to that, and I still couldn't keep my shield up. If you'd kept pushing you'd have had it down entirely without my being able to so much as warn you."

"What is this thing?" Trowa asked. "I felt as if a cloud fell over us, that would be the jagan, or the protection lining Hiei's thoughts. But I never felt them earlier when you said you were getting thoughts from him. Did he come closer or something?"

"I think it was because the thoughts were lined with that thing, that presence." Zechs knew they didn't understand, and he shook his head. "The thoughts I got from Hiei were just like the thoughts I'd get from anyone - the only difference was that I got them even when I didn't want to hear them. This, though, this was like the voice I heard when I was reading him earlier today. Cold, dark, aware. It was as if that thing was trying to send something to me, more than just an errant thought. It may have even been trying to communicate with me. I did think that it spoke to me earlier, though Hiei denied it. He said it was a part of him, his subconscious voice. If that's the case, then it's shrouded in a thick...death. That's the only way I can describe it, almost evil, dark and scary." He smirked at that, shaking his head again. "It makes me feel like I'm a little kid and it's the boogeyman slithering out of the shadows to get me."

"If it can communicate, then it could be a part of his subconscious," Trowa said. "Perhaps he can broadcast and he just isn't aware of it."

"Maybe," Zechs shrugged. "But if so, his subconscious is twisted. I didn't get very far into his past this afternoon, but I did notice that most of his memories are dark. I guess it isn't that strange that his subconscious would be a reflection of that - a mass of darkness." He remembered that and turned suddenly, catching Quatre's gaze. "He doesn't forget anything," he said sharply. "All of his memories are as clear as any significant memory you'd find in a person. It's amazing and overwhelming. That's why I didn't get very far today. It's too hard to pinpoint one when they're all the same strength."

"But a person can't remember everything," Quatre protested.

"I told him the same," Zechs said. "He says a person can if he...'controls his thoughts.' I don't know what to make of that any more than I know why that presence scares me so much. But now that I think about it, I probably shouldn't have reacted the way I did." Trowa raised an eyebrow at him, and Zechs sighed. "I panicked because I felt that thing directed at me, just like I felt it turn its attention on me earlier when I was reading Hiei. I knew it was...coming to me, focusing on me." He shivered, giving a weak grin even as his arms moved around himself. "I didn't give it a chance, I automatically retaliated by putting as much as I could into my block, hoping to keep it out of my head. For all I know, it could have been trying to send me a memory - one of the ones I was looking for earlier but couldn't pinpoint on my own. I have no idea what it was trying to do, if anything. I just felt it and clamped up, deadbolting the door to keep the monster out. But I couldn't keep all of it out, some essence of that slipped in. So when Quatre cracked my barrier, it touched him as well."

"I want to read him," Trowa said. "If some part of Hiei really is seeking you out, just because you passed the jagan, then it's too dangerous to let Quatre test it." The blonde boy beside him scowled, and he shook his head firmly. "I know you want to work on getting past blocks, and to build a tolerance so you can work with my mind as well. But if there is something attacking those who surpass Hiei's block, then we need to identify it first. You don't have any resistence, Quatre. You know that."

"But I'll never build a resistence if I'm sheltered from it," Quatre countered. "And you'll be busy learning to control your own unbridled powers. You won't have time to practice mind reading - that's not your main talent. It's mine."

"No," Zechs said, smiling when Quatre turned his glare on him. "Your talent is mind control, Quatre. And your talent is set. I've no doubt about that,

if you were to turn that power on Trowa, you could tear down his block and even his need to protect you wouldn't be enough to stop you. Reading Hiei's mind isn't what you'll be doing at all. What you need to do is control him. That will build that defense you want. Just take it slowly and I know you'll succeed. The only question is whether this aware presence, or subconscious entity, or whatever it is - whether or not it will attack if you try to force your dominance over it. And if you met that on your first attempt, it would tear you apart. We need to find out its limits before you encounter it, so you'll have to wait. It's just too dangerous for you to rush headlong into this."

"But how am I supposed to take it slowly if I don't even get a chance to test myself against Hiei's jagan?" Quatre scowled, glaring at both Trowa and Zechs.

"You can ride me," Zechs said. He smirked when his choice of words made Trowa raise an eyebrow at him. "Ride my mind, I mean. The next time I read him, you can do mental sweeps over us, pulling back if the jagan hurts you. That's better than a direct confrontation, and hopefully this thing won't latch onto you."

"Wouldn't I have to be downstairs to do that?" Quatre asked. "And if psychics are hurt around Hiei's jagan, wouldn't it be just as painful to be near when he uses it as it is to try reading him?"

"I'll see if I can get him to go outside. If we move to that area in the woods, the distance would be enough to keep it from affecting the students, and you'd still be able to reach us - and pull back if it's too much for you. It would be like what you felt when Duo went near him, painful, but not so strong from so far away." The boy seemed to be thinking about it, and Zechs sighed. "But not tomorrow. I know it sounds bad, but I'm not ready to go back into his mind, especially now that I know it can reach me even when I'm not trying to read him." He eased himself to his feet, giving the two boys a weak smile. "I can work on my healing without a victim, so that should keep me occupied for a day."

Trowa stood, following him to the door. "You can heal yourself, then?"

"So long as it isn't in an awkward place, I don't see why not," Zechs smirked. "I should be able to, even if it means pretending the injured part belongs to someone else. I've never been able to do the instinctive self-healing that Heero has, but it's worth experimenting with. And who knows, if it burns as much as you and Duo say, maybe that will teach me to master it quicker. I'll find out tomorrow after we meet." He paused outside the door, turning back. "Do you think Duo will be well enough for us to meet for breakfast?"

"If not, I'm sure Heero will tell us," Trowa shrugged. "We'll meet regardless." He frowned as he stepped into the hall, looking at the few students wandering around outside. "And I'll find Wufei to fill him in. He wasn't happy about being left out."

"We should probably check out that friend of his," Zechs said. "He's been helpful, but if he spends enough time around us he'll start to wonder. It wouldn't be good for any of the students to realize why we're here. Yusuke, though, seems more like one of us."

"Agreed," Trowa said. "I'll speak to Wufei about it."

"I'm going to see Relena, then." The reluctance was plain on his face, but Zechs straightened his shoulders resolutely. "I have a lot to talk to her about, so I probably won't see the rest of you till tomorrow." Trowa nodded and he turned away, heading off down the hall. Seeing his sister made a knot of discomfort form in his throat, but there was no helping that. He needed to know exactly how much contact she had with the neighboring countries, and more importantly, if she had contact with OZ. The fact that she was now harboring so many mutants made her public enemy number one for the OZ faction. He couldn't help but wonder how she was keeping the peace with the kingdom's former allies, and how she was holding OZ at bay.

That split-second distraction idea hadn't been well thought out, as Wufei realized once they entered the area below the school. As much as Yusuke seemed eager to show off his powers, he admitted they were too destructive to use without a partner. He couldn't very well punch holes in the floor or walls without getting in trouble, so he subsided to merely 'showing' it. And like Yukina and Kuwabara, he did that in a visible way. The blinding white glow was like a shroud enveloping him, something that triggered a sharp memory for Wufei. He reminded him of Trowa when the boy had lost control in the OZ complex and gone berserk. The only visible difference was the color, and Yusuke wasn't floating off the floor. Still, it had that same feeling of...power, as if he could sense the energy radiating off of him. That was more than he'd gotten from watching Yukina earlier, or Kuwabara. This felt like an offensive force, something that crackled the edges of his mind, making itself apparent even from a distance.

After the short display, Yusuke took advantage of the situation, clamping a hand on Wufei's wrist and dragging him toward the glass windows across the wide floor. "Might as well explore while the demons are out," Yusuke grinned.

Wufei's eyes widened and he tugged sharply on his arm, not quite pulling free. "That's not wise," he said quickly. "They could be back at any time. My bringing you down here to see your power is one thing, snooping is out of the question."

"Don't be dull," Yusuke admonished, still smirking. He drug Wufei over to the office like room and released him at the door. A quick look proved there wasn't much to see aside from the sitting area and a small refrigerator that might have served in any office or apartment. He turned away without bothering to go inside. His eyes had caught a more tantalizing sight, the doors to the left of the room. "I wonder which one's theirs..."

"No!" Wufei kicked himself mentally for bringing the curious boy here, and he darted after Yusuke. He grabbed the boy's shoulder just as he was reaching for the closest door. "You can't-"

"Sure I can," Yusuke said, shrugging him off. "What do you think they're hiding? This place used to be used for duelists, so it's probably just dressing rooms and showers. It's not like I'm going through their drawers looking for dirty little secrets. I just want to see the rooms that are supposed to be down here." He tossed a look back at Wufei, frowning when he found the boy looking more than a little skittish. "You really think they'd throw a fuss if they found us poking around down here?"

"Yes," Wufei said sharply. "And there's no need to snoop. Let's go. I never should have brought you in here."

"You're a little uptight," Yusuke sighed, "you know that, right? Really, you should take more risks, have fun. Don't you want to see if the swords are still down here?"

"Swords?"

Wufei's face had shifted, a little hint of light flashing past his eyes. Yusuke grinned, catching the boy's shoulders and drawing him over to the door he'd been about to open. "I told you, they used this for duels back in the old days. They probably were just fencers, but you never know. They still have the stands in some of the rooms - the type that hold swords, but they're all empty now so the students won't play with them." He rolled his eyes at the very thought. "But they had to have put them somewhere, ne? I figure down here makes sense. I'm not much one for using weapons, but really old ones like that would be neat to look at. And I've been wondering where Hiei got his, it has a strange hilt. It doesn't look old enough to be from here, but I can't really tell off-hand."

"His sword is old," Wufei nodded, "but well kept. It's the sort of sword people might keep in their homes in Japan, what old samurai used. The hilt is strange, though, now that you mention it. I don't think it goes with the blade."

"That's what I thought," Yusuke nodded. "The blade is definitely newer than that hilt. I bet he switched it with one of the ones down here."

"If they are down here," Wufei frowned. He knew he shouldn't be encouraging this, but he was curious to see what sort of weapons might be stored down here. Yukina had said there were rooms for students if they cared to relocate, she hadn't mentioned anything about a storage area. Yusuke was reaching for the doorknob again, and Wufei sighed, steeling himself for what would come if they got caught. But it was just a shower room, not too much different from the large one they'd had at the safe house.

Yusuke frowned in disappointment, but hurried off to try the next door. That one led to a short dead-end hall with more doors lining it. "Bedrooms," Yusuke smirked, "or dressingrooms."

"Then there's no need to look in there," Wufei said sharply.

"Just wait a minute," Yusuke smirked. He walked down the hall, glancing from side to side, and stopped by the last door on his right. "This one."

He hadn't moved from the doorway, and Wufei shifted impatiently. "What about it?" The boy didn't look back as he opened the door and looked inside.

"Wow," Yusuke murmured, staring into the dim room. "I wondered."

"What is it?" Wufei scowled and gave in, rushing down the hall to see what the boy was staring at. And he promptly blushed. With a determined scowl, he jerked the door shut, rounding on Yusuke and pointing toward the exit. "Out."

"Oh come on, I was just looking." Yusuke grinned as he was pushed out of the hall, tossing a look back over his shoulder. "They're about the most eccentric people I've ever known, I just knew it extended to their bedroom. And I was right, they're definitely sleeping together. No one needs that much room if he's sleeping alone. Looked more like a nest, though, with all those blankets and the plants. Of course, Kurama had to have set that up."

"Just go," Wufei growled, prodding the boy out of the hall and shutting the door firmly behind them. "You may not be a gossip, but you're definitely nosey."

"Only with my friends," Yusuke smiled. "And it's not like they'd really care all that much. You heard Kurama earlier, didn't you? They knew I was spying on them last night. They probably didn't realize you were there as well, but they knew Kuwabara and I were. If they didn't want me seeing them, they wouldn't have just stayed there and let me watch. I don't think they care at all. It's not like I'd hold it against them, and it gives me something to do, investigating. I would have made a good detective, if I weren't a mutant."

"You?" Wufei snorted, disbelief covering his face. "No way." He was still prodding the boy, and he continued, directing him across the wide floor and toward the stairwell. They weren't staying for any more of Yusuke's 'investigating.' One thing Wufei was not, was a snoop.

"No?" Yusuke frowned. "Then I guess I didn't notice that you suggested this little trip to distract me from what was going on outside, either. Being so dense, I wouldn't have realized it had something to do with Hiei and Zechs, or that Quatre was reading the guy when we left. And I definitely didn't notice that something I said about Yukina struck a nerve earlier. No way would I have put two and two together and figured out that you guys are hiding a lot more than Trowa being an A class. Or that you were asking pointed questions about Kurama because you'd already met him - last night since you were gone all day and had access to this area when you came back, meaning you had to have gotten it last night or the day before. Someone who noticed things like that would make a good detective, and like you said, no way I could be a detective."

The hand on his back fell away, and Yusuke turned, smirking at Wufei's blank face. "What? Did you think I was stupid? I might not be a genius like Kurama, but I'm not a moron. Heck, even Kuwabara isn't that dumb, though you'd never know it unless you spent time with him. We've been scoping out gangs for years, force of habit, really. It's nice to know about your rivals, or your friends. That's why I like to spy on Kurama and Hiei, to see how they tick. They're too unique. You guys have that same mystery. If I hadn't seen how surprised you were when you found out Zechs' age earlier, I'd never believe you just met recently. You look like a gang, as clear as Kurama and Hiei look like a couple. And gangs don't function if the members don't know each other well."

"We have known each other for a while," Wufei said slowly, still taken back by this twist. Yusuke didn't seem different, so it wasn't as if he'd been wearing a mask before. He just hadn't expected the boy to be so...quick to put things together. That first impression of the bumblers on the stairwell was simply too amateurish to take either of them seriously. "But we haven't known Zechs for more than a few days."

"That makes sense," Yusuke nodded. "Still funny that you didn't even know how old he is. I figured that would be something you ask right away. Introductions, you know? Yo, my name is Urameshi Yusuke. I'm a sixteen year old mutant with one original talent, a big galoot for a partner, and an alcoholic mother. I like to tease my friends and beat up my enemies. Nice to meet you." He shrugged, passing Wufei so he could open the door. "I guess you guys are more closed-mouthed than that. But that's cool, everyone has his quirks." Wufei didn't follow when he took a step through the door, and he paused, frowning back at him. "You coming? You did want to get out of here before those two came back, ne?"

Wufei gave a dumb nod, not sure what to say to the boy.

"Let's go, then. I need to find Kuwabara before Hiei kicks his ass for hanging too close to Yukina. You'd think he had a death wish, the way he drools over her." A wide eyed stare struck him, and Yusuke smirked, waving Wufei to precede him up the stairs. "Don't tell me you didn't know Hiei and Yukina are twins, I won't believe you. You wouldn't have said Yukina was the only person aside from Kurama who'd touch Hiei, if you didn't know." The boy blinked wide eyes back at him, and Yusuke laughed, giving him a light shove. "Yeah, I'm just full of surprises, aren't I. You don't have to be dumb to be a thug, newbie, just restless."

"Wufei."

"Right," Yusuke smirked, "Wufei. But I'll call you newbie till you get used to me. It's more fun that way."

TBC


	29. Friends and Lovers

This is a vague fusion with the original X-men animated series.

Category: Anime, Yaoi, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho, AU  
Warnings: shonen ai, fluff, light humor, possible minor angst  
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, KuramaxHiei, will be 6x5  
Author: Arigatomina

**Gmen**

_Part 29: Friends and Lovers_

Duo woke to the sound of his name being murmured into his hair, some distant thought telling him it had been going on for a while. True to form, his mind protested waking, and he groaned, digging his head harder into the pillow under him. The name came again and physical discomfort prodded his mind to pay more attention as strong arms tightened around him. Groaning louder, he twisted his arms free of the blankets, his limbs heavy and awkward, almost boneless when he pushed on the tight grip that seemed set on squeezing the life out of him. "I'm up," he groaned, "I'm up. Stop it already." Silence held for a moment, then those arms loosened and he sighed in relief. The bed shifted under him, but he didn't bother to open his eyes. He was busy wrapping his own arms over his aching ribs. "Couldn't you have just pulled the blanket off like usual...? That hurt..."

"Duo?" Heero pushed himself up, not sure what the boy was talking about. His mind was still hazy with sleep so the main thing he focused on was that Duo had spoken, meaning the boy was awake. "Are you okay?"

"Mm," Duo sniffed, rolling onto his back with a muddled scowl. "No thanks to you..." He hadn't opened his eyes, so he missed the flash of guilt that swept over Heero's face. "Where you trying to break my ribs or something?"

Heero frowned, running a hand over his forehead to get the tussled hair out of his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Your wake up call," Duo sniffed. He opened one bleary violet eye and pouted, rubbing his ribcage with an overly painful look. "I heard you calling my name. You didn't have to squeeze me, too. I would have woken up eventually."

"I didn't..." Obviously he had done something, but Heero didn't remember saying anything, and he'd gone to sleep with the intention of letting the boy wake naturally. "I must have been dreaming."

Duo opened his other eye, a faint smile curving his lips. "Really? You were dreaming about me? What were you dreaming?"

"I don't remember," Heero admitted. "I didn't mean to wake you up, though. If you're still tired, go back to sleep. I'll get up so I don't accidentally wake you again."

That was a new one that made Duo's mind swim more toward coherent thought. "You'd actually let me go back to bed? Since when? What time is it?"

A glance at his wrist found it to be around six. Since Heero doubted he could really have slept the entire night, he took that to be evening rather than morning. "You slept through the afternoon," he said. "You passed out in the forest, remember?"

"No..." With a disgruntled scowl, Duo pushed himself up, his arms giving that jelly-like boneless shake. His elbows refused to lock, and he gave a sigh when Heero caught his back, helping him sit up. "Last thing I remember is looking into that hole and wondering if my head were going to fall off."

"You used too much of your energy," Heero told him. "I'm going to lecture you about that tomorrow." Wide violet eyes flashed up to him and he gave the boy a sharp nod. "We had to get help from Yukina and one of the students to keep you from being in a coma for a week or more."

"No way..."

"Yes, so don't think I'm ignoring what happened." Heero pulled the boy so he sat with his back supported by the wall, not minding Duo's confused expression. "I'm not going to yell at you tonight. It can wait until morning."

"Okay," Duo said slowly, blinking wary eyes on the boy. "So what are you going to do tonight?"

"Whatever you want." Ignoring the disbelief on his lover's face, Heero folded his arms and nodded again, his expression entirely sober. "Tell me what you want me to do. If I can, then I'll do it."

"What is this?" Duo asked, a weak grin twisting his lips. "Are you granting a wish or something?"

"No limit, so long as it's a reasonable request."

Duo shook his head, taken back by Heero's stead gaze. "But why? You don't owe me anything."

"I think so," Heero frowned. "I'm going to make it up to you." The boy grinned suddenly and shook his head at him. Heero didn't move, still waiting to hear what Duo would have him do.

"Make what up to me?" Duo smiled. "You're being strange, Heero. You know that, right?"

"I wasn't paying any attention to you," Heero admitted. "You asked me out there so you wouldn't be alone while you worked on your talent. If I'd watched you like I was supposed to, you never would have exerted yourself so much. You still should have known better than to keep pushing it like that, but I'm not going to get into that tonight. The fact is, I made a mistake and it could have killed you. I want to make it up to you. Just tell me what I need to do."

"Hold that thought," Duo muttered. He scrubbed the back of his hand over his eyes before giving a wide yawn and settling more comfortably against the wall. "Okay, so you think you owe me because I couldn't use my own talent without passing out? That's definitely not your fault."

"I told you," Heero frowned. "I should have been watching you. If I hadn't been so caught up in searching Kurama's real name, I'd have noticed before it was too late that you were pushing your limits. That was my responsibility, what I agreed to when I said I'd keep you company while you worked."

"Real name?" Duo asked, that comment sticking better than the others had in his still wakening mind. "Kurama's not his real name?"

Heero shook his head. He didn't like the distraction, but if Duo wanted to know, then telling him was just doing what he wanted. And that was the point. "It is now. His real name up until six years ago was Shuuichi Minamino. Kurama told me to look that name up, so I did." He sighed, his expression turning bland. "And you were right, there's no reason to distrust him. The information I found proves to me that he isn't working for anyone but himself."

"Are you admitting you were wrong?" Duo asked, leaning forward with wide eyes. Heero's left eyebrow twitched and he smiled at the boy. "So...this idea about you doing anything I want. Did you really mean anything?"

If he hadn't already set his mind to it, Heero might have winced at the mischievous glitter in those bright eyes. "Yes. So long as it's something I can do, I'll do it."

"All right," Duo said. He leaned back again, folding his arms over his chest. "I want you to apologize to Kurama - apologize for having Zechs read him without asking him first."

Heero nodded sharply. "Do you want me to find him and do it now, or can it wait till I see him again?"

Eyes widening, Duo stared in disbelief. "You'd really do that? Just because I asked you to...?"

"Yes," Heero admitted. "And since I am sorry for having wasted that time and causing the strife with Zechs, I can honestly tell him as much. I couldn't apologize if I wasn't sorry, but I am, so that's a request I can fulfill."

"Wow," Duo murmured, shaking his head. "I'm going to have to think about this so I can take advantage of you. How long are you going to do whatever I want?"

Heero's eyebrow twitched again, but he kept from groaning. He'd decided this was the best way to make it up to Duo. There was no way he'd back out now. "Just tonight. I can wait till tomorrow to yell at you, but no longer than that."

"I'd rather you didn't yell at me at all," Duo frowned. "Why would you yell at me? It's not like I made myself sick on purpose."

"You were careless and-" Heero clamped his mouth shut, closing his eyes for a long moment before sighing. "I'm not going to start. That can wait. Tonight I want you to be happy, and you won't be happy when I start lecturing you."

It was given in such a firm tone that Duo couldn't help but laugh at the boy. "It's really sweet for you to say that you want me happy, but when you say it like that it sounds more like a mission. Only you would make it a mission to make someone happy."

Sliding off the bed, Heero shrugged. "Whatever works best. I'm less likely to screw up if I make it a mission." He stood looking down at his watch. "Wufei brought some food up earlier but it's probably cold and stale by now. Are you hungry? You didn't eat much this morning. Tell me what you want and I'll bring it up here."

"Dinner in bed?" Duo's eyes widened, a wide smile spreading over his face. "This sounds like fun!"

"I was going to suggest you eat at the desk," Heero admitted, a light frown curving his lips. "But if you want to eat in bed, I won't argue."

"No," Duo smiled, "that's okay. I can probably walk fine if I go slow, so we can eat downstairs."

"If you stumble along the way, I'm going to pick you up and carry you in front of however many students are in the hall," Heero warned. "I think you'd rather eat here."

The prospect of that sort of embarrassment was enough to put a damper on his enthusiasm. Duo shivered. "On second thought, up here's fine. But you'll have to fill me in on how everyone else did today."

There was one request he couldn't fulfill. Heero sighed and shook his head. "I can't do that. I stayed with you after you passed out, so I haven't gotten a chance to find out how the others did. We're going to fill each other in tomorrow."

"Oh." Duo frowned for a moment before he noticed Heero's expression. The boy actually looked sorry. He quickly flashed him a smile. "Well, that's okay. Just nab me something salty, something sweet, and lots of caffeine. We can have a private dinner for two."

"I'll be back in a few minutes," Heero said. He turned to pull on his shoes, brushing a bit of wrinkles out of his clothes. But he stopped when he reached the door, a light frown marring his face. "Don't get up till I get back, all right? I don't know if the symptoms will last, but the last time you stood up, that was what caused you to faint. I don't want to come back up here and find you on the floor."

"And I don't want you to find me on the floor," Duo winced. "I'll stay right here, I promise."

There weren't nearly as many students in the halls as Heero had expected, but he was still glad he'd convinced Duo to stay in the room. While he didn't like the idea of carrying the boy in front of the students again, his real motivation was to keep him isolated. If he brought him downstairs, chances were good the others would be there and they'd spend the evening talking and catching up on what had happened that day. He wanted to keep Duo to himself tonight. The rest could wait until tomorrow. His steps quickened when he reached the stairs, and he nearly bumped into someone as he ducked past a slow moving group. The tall boy grinned and waved at him before hurrying past and for a minute, Heero couldn't think why the boy seemed so familiar. He glanced over his shoulder as the boy disappeared around the edge of the stairwell, recognizing that orange fluff of hair. For someone Wufei had deemed the head bumbler, Kuwabara was quick when he wanted to be. Shrugging the encounter off, Heero ducked his way past the other students and into the main hall.

This area seemed to be popular. Whereas the upstairs hall had been virtually empty, this hall was teeming with little clusters of students, some eating, others just standing around talking to each other. He ignored them all, his sights set on the door at the far end. He was just passing the front doors to the manor when something hard pressed his sternum, halting his motion as if he'd walked into a wall. Heero scowled, his eyes locking on the bandaged hand on his chest before flicking up to see who it was. Red eyes glared at him and he blinked in surprise.

"I may be short," Hiei growled, "but I don't like being walked through."

Kurama hid a quiet laugh behind his hand, shaking his head at Heero. "You were looking right over his head. I thought you were going to bowl him over." Dark blue eyes snapped to him and his smile faded into a calm look. He reminded himself that this boy didn't trust him. Dropping his eyes, he smirked at Hiei. "Let him go, you can see he's in a hurry." He nodded to Heero as Hiei sniffed and stepped to the side. "I take it Duo is doing better?"

"Yes." Heero scowled, still irritated that he'd nearly walked right into Hiei. Since he wasn't that tall himself, he honestly hadn't thought to look down in case a shorter student was in his way.

"That's good to hear," Kurama said. "Well, we won't keep you."

Heero closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Kurama?" The redhead blinked at him when he looked over, and Heero firmly kept the scowl off his face. "I apologize for having Zechs read you. I'm sorry." Wide green eyes stared at him, but he didn't wait around to watch them. With a sharp nod, he continued toward the cafeteria. One request fulfilled, and it hadn't been as hard as he'd thought it would be.

Blinking after the darkhaired boy, Kurama frowned. "What just happened here?"

"He admitted it was his idea," Hiei glared. "And he's sorry for it, as he should be."

"Ah," Kurama grinned weakly, looking down at Hiei's hostile expression. "Well, unexpected apologies are nice. No need to get angry about something like that. It'll just make your headache worse."

"Hn."

Dropping his hand, Kurama prodded Hiei into motion. "Come on," he said, smiling down at his friend. "You're as tense as a rattler and standing here isn't going to make it any better. Besides, the students are staring at you." Red eyes flicked back to glare at the students closest to them, and Kurama smirked as the kids scrambled out of their way. He didn't care for the way the students treated Hiei like some sort of leper, but his little friend enjoyed scaring the wits out of them with that glare of his. Intimidation or not, if it made him happy...

They'd come back earlier than planned, once Kurama realized Hiei was grimacing from more than just the subject of their discussion. A quick check and a bit of concerned prying had found the boy with one nasty tension headache. At least, that was what it looked like to Kurama. Rather than letting him take care of it outside, Hiei had insisted he wanted to lie down where no noises would irritate him. Downstairs was the quietest place. Unfortunately, fast movements seemed to complicate the problem. That slow walk back to the manor hadn't done much to improve Hiei's mood.

Despite his abnormally slow pace, Hiei still managed to disappear while Kurama was only halfway down the stairs. He found the boy stretched out on his stomach, lying on the table in the break room, his cloak spread out beneath him. Kurama couldn't help the sly grin that curved his lips when he shut the door behind him. "Then you're taking me up on the offer?" he asked. A low grunt managed to make it out from where Hiei's face was hidden in his arms, and Kurama took it for a definite 'yes, so hurry up.' Crossing to stand over him, Kurama tilted his head to the side. "But you'll need to take your shirt off first."

With a loud sigh, Hiei sat up, scowling at the redhead. He grimaced when he raised his arms, the knotted muscles sending pain along the back of his neck, straight to his head. Kurama took the dark shirt, letting him plop back down without messing with it. "Is this going to sting?" he grumbled, his face hidden in his arms again.

"No," Kurama smiled. "It might feel warm and a bit numbing, but it won't hurt until I start loosening the muscles themselves. And that will feel much better after a few minutes. I promise."

"Good," Hiei sniffed. "I haven't felt like this since I woke up after lying still for two weeks."

"Having your muscles tense for too long does cause stress, but this is more like having them clench too tightly when you're not trying to use them." Kurama couldn't help but grin as he sat on the table, leaning over that pale back. This was making his hormones rage and while he wasn't going to do anything but loosen those tense muscles in Hiei's upper back, it was still an excuse to touch him in a manner that was different from their usual embraces. He smeared the ointment on first, wincing a bit when Hiei growled at him. "It doesn't sting, does it?"

"No," Hiei grumbled. "But it's cold and tingly."

"It'll numb in a few seconds, just wait for it to settle in. This is used for inflamed joints, and pulled muscles to ease the pain. It should keep the actual massage from hurting so much."

Hiei wrinkled his nose, digging his face tighter in his arms. "I don't care if it hurts so long as it stops being so tense. I can't even move my head." He really hated not being able to move freely.

"Well," Kurama said quietly, "I've never actually done this before. But I do think the idea is to force the muscles to unclench. From what I've heard, a good massage is supposed to hurt...then it feels great. So even if I can't get you to relax entirely, any effort should help some."

"You're experimenting on me again," Hiei growled, his voice still muffled by his arms. "Can't you make some plant to fix this?"

"...I don't think so." Sighing, Kurama slipped off the table so he stood near Hiei's head. He pulled up a chair to kneel on so he'd be positioned over the boy with easy access to his upper back. It would have been much simpler to straddle Hiei's back, but that was one position he wasn't going to even think about right now. Hiei was miserable. He'd never take advantage of that. Leaning forward, he moved his hands over those tense shoulders, finding the muscles he wanted to start on first. "This will hurt," he warned, lifting on his knees so he'd have leverage. "But you have to try and keep yourself relaxed. You can't clench your muscles or I'll never get them loose." A low, unintelligible sound answered him, and he got to work.

-

"If you get sick from eating too fast, I'm going to leave it for you to clean up in the morning." Heero's face twisted in distaste at the idea, but he meant the warning. "Stop shoveling your food, it isn't going anywhere."

"Be nice," Duo said, smirking before directing a large forkful of tangy pasta into his mouth. He barely chewed before swallowing and leaning down to dig up another load. "I'm starving. I feel like I haven't eaten in days. Besides, I almost asked you to feed me. Be glad I didn't. I probably would have bitten your hand off if you tried to make me slow down."

"Exhaustion should make you less hungry, weaker and listless." Heero raised an eyebrow, almost scowling. "I've never heard of it making you ravenous."

"Well, maybe it's different when you're exhausted from using energy instead of normal exhaustion." Inhaling another mouthful of food, Duo nodded happily. "And I'd much rather be hungry than queasy and sick. I'm not exactly fat to begin with, you know. Can you imagine if I stopped eating?" Wide violet eyes filled his face, and Duo shivered before diving down toward the food again. "I'd blow right over the first time you yelled at me."

Heero's lips twitched despite himself. The boy wasn't exactly scrawny, but he certainly couldn't do with losing any weight. "It's probably a reaction to whatever energy Yukina and that boy gave you. Either that, or your body is trying to replenish itself through food."

"Whatever it is, I like it. My arm hasn't shook once since I started eating. That has to be a good sign."

Not commenting on that, Heero resigned himself to wait. He'd long since eaten his fill and he now regretted having gotten a variety for Duo. He just hadn't known what to get the boy; his 'salty-sweet-caffeine' order had been vague at best. Now he realized he'd worried for nothing. From all appearances, Duo would eat anything if he were hungry enough. After a few minutes of the uncomfortable sight, Heero sighed and snatched the tray away. "Enough, Duo. You might be abnormally hungry, but your stomach hasn't grown. It won't be able to fit all of that food, whether you want to eat it or not."

"Come on," Duo groaned, his eyes shining on the items remaining on that tray. "At least let me get to the dessert - I didn't get my sweet food yet."

Heero's expression fell into a droll look and he sighed, handing back the small packet of pudding. "That's it. The pastries can sit in their containers till morning. If you're still hungry then, you can have them for breakfast. Not before." The boy barely heard him, having snatched up that packet and torn into it with fervor. "You do know you're brushing your teeth the moment you're done with that, right?"

Blinking in surprise, Duo paused in his eating. "Why? It can wait till I go to bed."

"Because your breath is going to smell like cheesy vinegar chocolate paste," Heero grimaced. "And then I'll be sick."

Duo snickered, finishing off his dessert with a wry grin. "Wouldn't want my breath to kill you, so I guess you're right enough." Having run out of food yet again, Duo sighed and sent one more look to the tray Heero was holding. "What about-"

"No," Heero said sharply, his eyebrow twitching at the boy's pout. He moved the tray to the corner of the room, setting it between the closet and the desk where it wouldn't be seen without a person going to stand right in front of it. Hopefully Duo would be less inclined to sneak more if it weren't in his line of vision. When he turned back to the bed, it was to find a sweet smiling Duo looking up at him, hands folded in a seemingly innocent pose. Heero's eyes narrowed, one eyebrow rising slowly. "What?"

"Well," Duo said, still smiling up at Heero. "This morning you offered to wash my hair for me...remember saying that? And since I need to brush my teeth now anyway, I might as well take a shower while I'm at it. Only, it would be dangerous if I were to get dizzy and fall, in there all by myself..."

Heero smirked, shaking his head at the boy's winsome smile. "You don't have to wheedle me into it," he said. "I was already planning to get you naked and wet at some point tonight."

Eyes wide, Duo felt heat rush over his face. It wasn't the idea of it so much as actually hearing it from Heero. Sometimes he forgot that the boy could be as bold as anyone. "Really..."

"Of course," Heero said simply. He moved to stand beside the bed where he'd be able to lift the boy without Duo having to move at all. "But I'd planned it this morning after the frizz incident. You didn't really think I was offering to just wash your hair, did you?"

"How would I know," Duo grumbled, his face still a little warmer than usual. "I was half asleep and you were kissing me senseless. I'm lucky I remembered it at all."

"Well," Heero commented, bending so he could lift the boy. "I did say I'd do anything you wanted this evening. All you have to do is ask." Duo smirked at him, wrapping his arms around his neck. "Just don't kiss me till you brush your teeth."

"Spoilsport."

-

Giving a massage wasn't nearly as fun as Kurama had thought. It wasn't just running his hands over Hiei's warm, silky smooth skin. It was pressing and kneading and oh, how his arms hurt from the effort. But the little sounds he'd received in the last few minutes made it all worth while, as those knots eased into sinewy but languid muscle. The sighs were even better than what Hiei gave him when he ran his hands through the boy's velvety hair. Whereas their embraces left an impression that Hiei were giving a contented purr, this was more in line with how Kurama felt. Warm, liquid pleasure. He left the chair to resume his earlier position on the table, leaning down to rub lower over the small of Hiei's back. "Hiei...?"

"Mm..."

Kurama smirked at the little sound and he could just imagine what Hiei's face looked like, half-lidded eyes with an almost sleepy smile. "Are you feeling better now?"

"Yes," Hiei rumbled, lifting his head from his arms and dropping his chin onto them. Those warm hands left him and he sighed, glancing back over his shoulder at the fox. "Are you done, then?"

Where he'd imagined it before, now Kurama could see that sleepy look. Only those dark red eyes were glittering too much for Hiei to be tired, more like content. "I don't know," Kurama teased, running a hand over Hiei's shoulders and dipping it to press along the boy's neck. "I was just starting to enjoy myself. Now that the muscles are loose, I don't have to try as hard. My arms were aching for a while there. This is much easier."

Hiei raised an eyebrow, rolling a bit so he could see the fox without craning his head around. "Do your arms hurt? I could do that, what you did."

The mere thought of Hiei rubbing his shoulders, even if it were painful at first, sent a flush over Kurama's face. He shook his head quickly, flashing the boy a faint smile. "No, I'm all right. But I wouldn't mind doing this for a little longer." His face cleared and he winked playfully. "You were enjoying it, ne?"

"Hn." Rolling his eyes with a smirk, Hiei turned back onto his stomach. "You have soft hands, of course I was enjoying it." Those warm hands moved onto his back again and he closed his eyes, resting his cheek on his folded arms. "You're good at this..."

"Thank you," Kurama smirked. "I'll have to do it more often. If I get a 'good' from you on my first try, just imagine what I could get with practice." Those narrow shoulders shook beneath his palms, a vague laugh that didn't quite reach the air. Leaning down, Kurama brushed the boy's neck again. "Hiei...?"

"What?"

The slightly impatient sound told him how much Hiei was enjoying himself. Kurama's smile turned slightly smug. "Let's go to bed."

Hiei frowned, not sure what to make of the way his friend kept interrupting. "I thought you said you wanted to do this more?"

"Oh, I do," Kurama smiled, his voice soft. "But this table really isn't very comfortable."

Snorting softly, Hiei rolled onto his side so he could push himself up. "Don't tell me. You're the one who said a hard surface is best."

Kurama nodded. "For the difficult part, yes. People use actual tables for giving massages - not as hard as this one, but flat and stable. Now, though, there's no need for me to apply pressure to the muscles, so we might as well be comfortable." He slipped a hand over Hiei's shoulder to brush at the boy's thick hair, his lips curving into a teasing smile. "Besides that, I want to see if I can lull you into falling asleep. I bet it would work much better than my poor attempt at singing."

Recognizing the 'plea' for a compliment, Hiei rolled his eyes. "You sing fine. I just don't fall asleep when there's something interesting to listen to." The redhead beamed at him, and he smirked as he shifted so his legs fell over the edge of the table. "Don't expect me to sleep from this, though. It's at least as interesting as your voice."

With a light laugh, Kurama stepped back so Hiei could hop down to the floor beside him. "You do wonders for my ego."

"I know," Hiei smirked, red eyes flicking up to glint at the taller teen. "Not that you need it."

"Of course I do," Kurama said firmly. He caught up Hiei's cloak and retrieved the discarded shirt before prodding the boy out of the room. Even if Hiei hadn't told him he was feeling better, he'd have known by the easy way he walked. It added a touch of smug pride to the giddy little bit of him that was jumping up and down at having 'felt up' Hiei like that. As candid as his young friend had been about enjoying the touch, he couldn't help but feel optimistic. If Hiei thought that was good, he couldn't wait to introduce a few other pleasurable activities to him.

"What are you grinning about, fox?" Wide green eyes flashed down at him, and Hiei's eyebrow raised at the 'caught' look on Kurama's face. It was hidden quickly, but he knew what he'd seen. Frowning up at Kurama's suddenly blank expression, he had a quick memory that sparked a nasty little twinge in him. "You aren't thinking about that boy, are you?"

"What?" Kurama's eyes widened even more and his mind went blank for a long moment. "Who?"

"The one you shed all over," Hiei sniffed. He turned away, stalking off toward their room. A few seconds later he could hear Kurama jolting into motion after him. "The dark-haired one."

"Wufei!" Conflicting emotions were spurring through him, and Kurama shook his head furiously, trying to settle them. It was one thing to be happy that Hiei was jealous, but he wasn't about to ruin their evening by letting his friend get in a huff. "Of course not," Kurama said quickly, catching up to Hiei as they entered the hall. "I do like him, but he was the last thing on my mind. You can believe me, the only one I'm thinking about right now is you."

"I don't care if you think about him," Hiei frowned, looking back over his shoulder. "Just don't grin like that if you don't want to share what you're grinning about. I don't like secrets."

"Ah..." Kurama winced as he forced a weak smile to cross his face. "The truth is, Hiei, I was thinking about you. It's just not something I'm ready to come out and say yet. But you can be sure, I wouldn't have smiled if it were anything bad. Just a little silly of me." His friend had turned away again, but his back wasn't tense so Kurama knew he wasn't angry. After a moment, Hiei sighed.

"Why aren't you ready?" Hiei asked, his voice sober. The redhead didn't answer quickly enough for him and he went on to open the door to their room. "You know you can tell me anything."

Following after him, Kurama waited until they were inside before responding to that almost accusatory tone. "I haven't found the right way to say it," he admitted softly. Dark red eyes stared at him, and he smirked wryly when Hiei sighed.

"You're really going to make me wait?" A bright nod answered him, and Hiei glowered, instantly suspicious. "Is this one of your games?" he asked, a soft growl lining the question.

Kurama blinked, innocence radiating from his features. "Do you think I'd play with you like that?"

"Yes," Hiei snorted. "And you'll pout when I get angry about it."

"I wouldn't," Kurama sniffed, lifting his chin in a dignified manner. "I might be disappointed, but I would never pout."

Hiei's eyebrow twitched, his expression droll. "You're pouting right now."

Eyes wide in feigned indignation, Kurama gaped at the boy. "What? I most certainly am not."

A low, long-suffering sigh filled the dim room, and Hiei promptly let himself pitch over onto the blankets. "Act your age," he grumbled, tossing an arm over his eyes.

"Oh," Kurama smirked, "You're one to talk." A wide red eye peaked up at him from under that arm, and he sniffed down at Hiei. "You should play more yourself."

"Hn. I'm too old for games," Hiei frowned, not quite annoyed so much as impatient. "If you want to play, go find the elemental. If you want to stay here, then finish what you started earlier."

It took four seconds for Kurama to catch on to what Hiei was talking about. His playful manner abruptly gave way to a wide, sly smile. "Of course," he said smoothly, sliding down to hover next to his friend. "So sorry to have kept you waiting." A glinting gaze met him, and he nearly grinned when he caught a flash in the dim light, just a hint of one narrow fang from the boy's slight smile. Then Hiei stretched out on his stomach and Kurama did grin, staring down at him. If he didn't know any better, he'd say Hiei stood a good chance of becoming addicted to this sort of thing. And Kurama was just the person to seduce him into it. Mutant transformations aside, Hiei did bring out the fox in him.

-

So much had changed over the years that it felt as if a lifetime had passed since he'd lived here. The halls were nearly unrecognizable with the carpeting replaced by polished hardwood, partial rugs lining the center of the walkway. Zechs knew from sight that they'd never be as soft as the ones he'd run barefoot over as a child. While hadn't thought he'd see the place again, he couldn't help the pang of homesickness that hit him as he marked one change after another. By turning the manor into a school, they'd removed almost every memory he had of the place. It made walking the dark halls an almost creepy sensation. But he'd felt the urge to do it at least once, now that the students were hidden away in their rooms. This was a chance to familiarize himself with the sensation of standing outside the past.

The slow walk took him to the top floors, his ultimate goal being the left-hand attic - if it still existed in this remodeled building. Chances were good that even if it were still used for storage, it had been cleaned out. Relena hadn't said anything about what he left behind, so either his father had destroyed the things, or she'd never thought to look. That knowledge ate at him, but he couldn't bring himself to be angry with her. She'd been so young back then, he should have known she'd never venture up there alone. But he'd thought, hoped, that she would eventually go to the last place they'd played together, to that one spot in their large home where they were away from everyone. He knew better now. If she had gone up there, she would have found the message he left behind, would have known why he'd had to leave. His conscience was racking him now that he knew that message had never been found or passed on. Relena hadn't been the only one he'd left behind. It was just a matter of time before word got out that he'd returned, and he wasn't prepared to deal with the repercussions of his seemingly childish flight from responsibility.

The last, twisted flight of stairs was more cramped than he'd remembered, and he knew he should have brought a light with him. The last thing he wanted was to stumble and break his neck over something so trivial. He walked carefully, feeling his way along the smooth wall. A small part of him wondered if his palm would be coated in dust when he looked at it later. The attics were more like a floor, only the sloped ceiling distinguishing them from any other floor in the large building. The room he wanted was in the very back, but he'd no more than stepped up into the first area than he found himself halting. His mind was closed tightly, a block he'd been holding since that afternoon, but he didn't need to do a search to know he wasn't alone. The attic should have been pitch black. Instead, there was a faint bit of pale light easing under the door to his right. Not sure what he might find, he stilled himself before pulling the door open as quietly as he could. He might as well have knocked first.

Dark eyes glittered in the fall of moonlight, but it was the pale hair that really completed the scene, soaking up the rays and reflecting them on the floor around the open window. Zechs stared for a long moment before he could break himself from it. She looked ethereal. "I'm sorry." The words were out before he realized he had opened his mouth, and Zechs might have blushed at himself. Whether it was unintentional or not, he'd intruded on something.

"It's all right," Yukina smiled, waving a pale hand for the man to join her. She was sitting in the open window, her small form fitting it well enough that she didn't even have to duck her head. "No one comes up here, so I like to sit sometimes. It's very pretty from up here."

"This was a schoolroom once," Zechs said, still unsure of himself as he moved to stand next to the open window. He was half worried that she'd pitch right out of it, but her comfortable position told him she did this often. "I was taught in this room as a child."

"Here?" Yukina asked, her dark eyes wide. "But it's so dark in here. The window was painted when I came, so even the brightest sunlight barely filtered through. This isn't a place for teaching."

"It was, though," Zechs shrugged. It was uncomfortable being so close to her, as if he'd walked in on the girl bathing or something equally private. It reminded him that this was no longer his home. "They brought in plate glass lamps when Relena started schooling, so it was never that dark. Only at night."

"I didn't know that," Yukina frowned. She turned a bit more, her gaze shifting over the dimly lit room. "Relena-dono's father fixed it for me so I'd have a place to feed the birds from, not long after I came here. It hasn't been used for anything else for as long as I've lived here. I didn't mean to change your memories."

The statement confused him for a moment before he understood what she meant. "It's nothing," Zechs said, giving her a weak smile. "The entire place is different from how I remember it. And I was never partial to this schoolroom anyway. I did like the attic, though." Turning so he could lean his back on the wall next to the open window, Zechs sent the girl a light look. "Have you been in the other rooms?"

"Oh, no," Yukina said quickly, shaking her head so her gleaming hair fairly sparkled in the moonlight. She didn't notice the way Zechs stared at that. "No one is allowed in there. Because of the fire."

Icy cold washed over him and it had nothing to do with the mutant sitting near him. Zechs' eyes dimmed and he gave a dark smile. "A fire in the back room, by chance?"

"Did you know about it?" Yukina sighed, frowning at the doorway he'd come in through. "The damage was so bad they had to redo the roof over the room. But the floor held up. Relena-dono says it's all boarded off and safe enough now, so long as no one walks there." She was quiet for a moment before glancing over to the white-haired man beside her. His dark smile caught her eye and she stared at it. "What is it?"

"Did you like living here?" Zechs asked, his voice soft. He didn't look over, not wanting her to see his expression.

"It was quiet," Yukina said slowly. "And I was lonely for something I didn't understand. Relena-dono was very kind to me, though. After a while I learned to love the freedom here. Now that Hiei is here with me, I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be."

"And my father?"

The words were low, and Yukina eased closer to the side of the window her back was against. She wasn't afraid of him, but the darkness in his voice was uncomfortable to be so close to. Hiei was the only one she could accept darkness from, their pain being the same. "Your father... He was a very unhappy man."

Zechs laughed suddenly, his gloom breaking as he sent the girl a soft smile. "You're diplomatic. Do you get that from the time you've spent with Relena?" The girl blinked at him, head tilted a bit so her red eyes seemed darker. "Her habits, I mean," he said. "I know you were about her age when you were adopted, but it looks like she's rubbed off on you."

"She has taught me a lot," Yukina smiled. "But Relena-dono says I taught her as well. We helped each other."

"Then you got along right from the start." The girl gave a happy nod, and Zechs raised an eyebrow at her. "But you still call her 'dono'? I don't think you need to use a term of respect on your sister." He gave a kind smile when the girl looked surprised.

Yukina stared at him for a long moment, then flicked her gaze outside. "Relena-dono has been very kind to me. And I do care for her. But she is not my sister, and she never will be. Hiei is my family. Relena-dono is my dearest friend, but not blood." She turned a slow smile on Zechs, not minding the uncertainty clouding his face. "It's nothing to be sad about," she told him softly. "We prefer it this way. Neither of us will every have a sister, but we have each other and now that you're here, we have our brothers. It's all the family we need."

Something about the way she said it sent a wash of guilt and apprehension over him. Zechs shifted uneasily, tearing his eyes away. He wasn't going to stay here. Sooner or later the others would be ready and he would leave Relena a second time. He didn't want to think about how she would take that double rejection. Glancing over, he shook his head at Yukina. "You're very wise for your age."

A soft, almost tinkling laughter whispered in the quiet room, and he found himself shivering at it, snapping his gaze away. There was nothing frightening about the girl, not with her inviting aura. But he had a discomforting thought that if he were to look into her red eyes when she laughed, he'd see a shadow of something else. He had just realized that she and Hiei had the same eyes. The only difference was that hers were hopeful, his were resigned. Looking deeper he could see the same core in both, ancient eyes staring out of young faces.

"Relena-dono tells me I'm naïve and innocent," Yukina smiled. "Everyone tells me that. I don't think anyone has ever called me wise before."

"Do you consider yourself wise?" Zechs asked, still not looking at her. "Not what others tell you. What do you believe?"

"I don't know," Yukina admitted. She frowned a bit, her gaze shifting to the moon again. "There is so much I haven't seen and barely know the words for, even now. Isn't wisdom something you learn over time? All I've learned is that I love my family, and I want to be surrounded in happiness. I never want to see anyone suffer again. Even if it's just a small thing, I want to keep people from suffering. That's naïveté, not wisdom. I am naïve and I want to always be that way. But I'm not innocent, no more than I'm wise. I'm just..." Turning back to the dark room, she caught Zechs' eyes and smiled at him. "I'm just me."

"You're beautiful..." Her eyes closed, a faint blush creeping over her cheeks, but Zechs stared at that small smile. He could see it, how this girl, mutant as she was, could have won over his father. Who could hate her? Even a hateful, angry and bitter person would begrudgingly admit that she was the epitome of light. Zechs sighed, his lips curving into a wry smile. His father's resolve must have cracked into a thousand pieces when he learned Yukina was a mutant. Now he understood how the man could have gone from hating mutants on sight, to opening his own kingdom to shelter and educate them. It would take someone as extremely...good...as Yukina to change him that much.

-

Trowa woke sharply, aware of some change though it took a bit before he knew what was different. His arms were no longer wrapped around a warm body. Light fingers brushed his long bangs away from his face and he turned curious eyes up to the source. Quatre was sitting up next to him, the boy's back leaning on the wall in a way that told him the boy had been like that for some time. He raised an eyebrow at him.

"Did I wake you up?" Quatre asked, a quick smile passing over his face. "I didn't think I would. I've been watching you for a while now, so I didn't think you'd notice."

"What's wrong?" Wide eyes blinked in surprise, and Trowa shifted so he was leaning on his side, turned to see the boy better. There was a thoughtful look on Quatre's face, an almost sad one that he didn't like.

"Nothing really," Quatre said. He shook his head, smiling as he tugged a bit on Trowa's arm. He waited till the taller boy sat up and leaned against him, letting him wrap his arms over Trowa's shoulders. Pressing his cheek to Trowa's neck, he gave the teen a warm hug. "I had a strange dream that got me thinking about us," he explained. "Do you realize I don't know anything about you but your name and talents? I was back in my old home, with the Maguanacs, and I was standing at the window in the office. I was looking for something, something in the forest across the way. Then I saw you standing in the shadows and I realized I knew you...but I didn't know you...that you weren't really there at all." He winced, a sad smile curving his lips as he pressed closer to Trowa. "It was unnerving, looking out at you like that. You block makes you invisible to my senses, so it was like staring at a shadow. Then you looked over and our eyes met. And I woke up cold."

"I can't help the block," Trowa said slowly. He didn't know what to say to him about the dream, but it did cause a twinge of discomfort since he'd spent nearly a year doing just what Quatre had dreamed he was doing - watching from the shadows of that forest across the way. "But you do know me, better than anyone in the world."

"Do I?" Quatre sighed. "Zechs has touched your mind and that's more than anyone else has done. I can't even feel your existence with my talent. Even now I feel like I'm holding something that could disappear without a trace. I'm afraid..."

"Of what?" He wanted to turn, but those slender arms were tight around him, and Trowa frowned at the wall across from him instead. "Quatre?"

"I'm afraid that if I did see you, the real you in the shadows, then you'd look at me and I'd wake up. That if I knew you, I couldn't keep you." That warm body pulled firmly out of his arms and Quatre sighed, turning sad eyes up on Trowa's frowning face. "I know it was just a dream but it...it felt like a warning, a premonition, and I don't-"

"Do you think if you read my mind that you'd find something you couldn't accept?" Trowa asked, confusion spreading to mix with his frown. "You told me before that nothing you learned would change your feelings for me."

"No," Quatre said. "I know I wouldn't. But you threatened to leave me before. Now that I might actually get past your block I'm afraid of what you might do if I looked into your mind. I want to know you, Trowa, but not if it might drive you away. I know I should be grateful for what we have, and not push for more, but I can't help it. Only I don't want to lose this because I wasn't satisfied."

"All this over a dream?" Trowa relaxed slowly, a small smile lighting his face. "Do you think I'm some mystery that will vanish the moment you understand it?"

"That..."

"I don't know everything about you," Trowa said, his voice even. "I did read you often, but I didn't push. Mostly I took enough to feel as if I were there with you, just a brush like being next to you. What I know about you comes from spying - rather like a stalker, really. You know I was obsessed. Most of what I've learned, you told me after we met face to face."

Quatre frowned, shaking his head a bit at the thought. "Then...you don't know about my family?"

"Just the Maguanacs," Trowa smiled. "You considered them family when you were living with them. Other than that, I know no more than you know about me."

"That's horrible!"

Trowa smirked at Quatre's stunned expression and leaned forward to place a soft kiss on the boy's cheek. "Why is it horrible? Don't we fit well regardless?"

"Yes, of course we do," Quatre said, still blinking wide eyes at Trowa. "But...we should at least have shared things - what kind of relationship do we have if we don't even know each other?"

Trowa raised an eyebrow, leaning back a bit with an almost reproaching gaze. "I thought we had one based on love."

Quatre gave a long sigh, shaking his head in exasperation. "Trowa, we do. But we never even had a chance to be friends first. I know more about Duo than I do about you. That's horrible."

A long moment of looking at Quatre's disgruntled expression, and Trowa smirked. "All right. We can remedy this. Come on a date with me tomorrow."

"A d-date...?" There was a definite sparkle in those dark green eyes, and Quatre leaned back, more than a little confused. "But we're already lovers...!

"So? I don't want you to think we're missing anything in our relationship." Trowa reached over to pull Quatre into his arms, smiling down at the boy's blonde hair. "I'm to blame for how quickly we jumped into this, so I'll take the first move to fix it. I don't want you to have any more dreams about being in love with a stranger. We still have time to get to know each other."

It was warm in Trowa's arms, but Quatre knew his face was a little too warm. "I'm being silly," he muttered. "It was just a dream. What we have is wonderful, we aren't missing anything."

"No," Trowa smirked, shaking his head as he pulled Quatre down. "Don't take it back now. You don't think I'm upset, do you? Just sleep. As your friend, I think you need your rest."

Quatre's left eyebrow twitched, and he glowered from where he was pressed to Trowa's chest. "You're humoring me."

"Partly." The blonde boy tilted his head to glare up at him, and Trowa smiled pleasantly. "But this will give me a chance to spend more time alone with you. I'm going to take advantage of that."

-  
TBC


	30. Getting to Know You

This is a vague fusion with the original X-men animated series.

Category: Anime, Yaoi, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho, AU  
Warnings: fluff, sap, action, a dash of yaoi, and some humor  
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, KuramaxHiei, will be 6x5  
Author: Arigatomina

**Gmen**

_Part 30: Getting to Know You_

Breakfast found the six mutants with varying moods as they met up at the table they'd come to use on a regular basis. When Trowa and Quatre came downstairs Zechs was already seated, his manner quiet and overly sober, while his expression made him appear as if he'd been up all night. The two bright young teens were overly happy in comparison, and Quatre was prone to light blushing from Trowa's almost proprietary treatment. The green-eyed boy had pressed him into a seat and proceeded to serve him breakfast. Grateful that Zechs didn't comment on Trowa's behavior, Quatre didn't ask why he looked so stressed.

Wufei was the next to make an appearance, nodding a quick greeting before getting a substantial meal since he'd skipped dinner the night before. He was still bothered by his talk with Trowa; the idea of telling Yusuke exactly what the six of them were up to was not one he liked. Knowing Heero would take the final say in it helped him clear it from his mind, so he wasn't nearly as preoccupied as Zechs. He just wasn't chipper like Trowa.

The normaly sober boy's smirking expressions were enough to make Wufei stare at him.

What they expected to see next was Heero being his typical quietly active self, dragging or prodding a sleep-drugged Duo over to the food line. They were naturally surprised when Duo stormed in well ahead of Heero, his eyes sharp and aware and not the least bit sleepy - or happy, for that matter. He didn't say a word and never once looked back at the silent and glowering mutant who'd followed him down to the cafeteria.

Heero managed to shrug off most of his annoyance when he greeted the others, and he set himself to ignoring Duo just the way the boy was ignoring him.

Heero had warned him after all. He'd told him last night that he was going to round him this morning. It wasn't his fault if Duo had thought he'd exaggerated when he told him he was planning to yell at him. Besides, he hadn't actually yelled, so it could have been worse.

As far as Heero was concerned, Duo had gotten off lightly with his stern lecture and honest insults. Duo had to be more careful in the future and the best way to assure that was to make certain he knew how stupid he'd been. The insulted and angry boy would calm down eventually. Until then, Heero would just let him simmer.

No one really hurried through breakfast, but Heero grimaced as he noted that Duo's appetite had not diminished a bit. If anything, he looked like he was taking his anger out on the food. Heero firmly tore his eyes away from the sight, placing his full attention on Trowa, who was still sending oddly teasing looks at Quatre. Raising an eyebrow, Heero caught his attention.

"Can I get a progress report on Une?" Heero asked, his voice slightly taunting. "Or should I wait till you're finished?"

Quatre flushed, more out of discomfort than embarrassment. Whatever Trowa's idea of courting was, the boy had been teasing him and flirting since they'd gotten up. Quite frankly, Quatre didn't know how to react to that. Having Trowa behave so strangely in front of the others - especially when he knew Trowa was enjoying himself - was unsettling. He'd never seen this side of the boy.

"No need to wait," Trowa said smoothly.

He didn't look the least bit bothered by Heero's expression and he gave an almost pleasant, if small, smile.

"The progress hasn't been much," Trowa continued, "but we expect it to be smooth from here on. We've decided an innocent mutant would be the best way to draw her softer side to the surface. So far the Lady seems to be taking the bait, and Yukina likes her as well. We plan to ration her company, to force the Lady to communicate with us verbally if she wants to spend more time with her new friend. Once we have her on a more dominant setting, we can work on diminishing Une's influence over her. We're hoping that the Lady will be able to resume control of herself without outside help."

"So the soft side would be ruling," Heero said. "That would make her a willing helper rather than someone to keep constant control over." He turned to look at Quatre. "Do you really think this soft side would be able to gain enough strength for that? She's been buried for years."

"The Lady, that's what we call her softer personality, she's almost a watcher now." Quatre shook his head as he gave a slight smile. "She's not nearly strong enough to go against Une - not if the two were to differ over something like Treize - but she could be. She did show some power when Une first met Yukina and tried to drive her away. The Lady intervened and spoke for herself after that. Une was against it, but she didn't fight hard enough to take back control. It's a definite step forward."

"But it's slow progress," Trowa said. "Any idea of using Une right now could undermine what we've done so far. If we're going to let the Lady save herself, then we won't be able to use her until she's overcome the personality Treize created."

Heero frowned a little, but wasn't overly bothered by that news. "I never expected to get much use from her - not unless we absolutely had to use her. Any plans for the future can be made if, or when, this Lady takes control. There's no rush on that. If the rest of you are progressing on your own talents, we'll be here for a while. Any attacks we might stage on OZ have effectively been put on hold."

"If we gain in strength, that won't be a problem," Wufei said. "We might lose time working on it now, but the battles themselves will be quicker, more decisive. It's better to gain strength for a confrontation than to drag one out by fighting at less than maximum potential."

Heero nodded in agreement and turned his focus on Wufei. "Did the training with Kurama benefit you, then?"

Wufei smirked. "Definitely. I know how to curve lightening, though it will take some practice. Now that I've actually done it, I can see how it works. It's just a matter of getting it down to a natural speed, so I can do it without concentrating entirely on that one thing. Kurama advised me not to push the talent too hard, but I expect I can start on moving targets soon. After that, I'll be working on wind."

Remembering something else Kurama had advised him of, Wufei glanced over at Zechs. "You'll be working with him on your healing talent," he said. "He says Hiei can get you used to watching how you heal, but that he doesn't have the control to teach you how to moderate the energy."

Zechs blinked, broken from his thoughts, and frowned over at Wufei. "I was planning to practice that myself. I don't need Hiei to help me with it."

Wufei shrugged, his expression just a little doubtful. "Well, if you do end up getting help from Kurama, don't mention your sessions with Hiei - the mindreading, I mean. And don't say anything to him about anything you've seen in Hiei's mind. It would make it...a difficult situation working with him if you did."

"Right," Zechs nodded. He glanced over and caught Heero's gaze. "You said you didn't need me to read Hiei any longer. I should tell you that we've made plans to continue it regardless. There's some aspect of Hiei's mind that seems to attack those who try to read him. We're going to investigate that, with Quatre doing a distanced reading while I'm working with him. That will give him a chance to build a tolerance to Hiei's jagan, so he can build his own talent as well."

"And you plan to work on your healing abilities alongside that?" Heero prompted.

His eyes tried to dart over for a glance at Duo, but he kept them away. Zechs wasn't going to make the same mistake Duo had. Besides that, he didn't want to say anything about people overextending themselves - not right now.

"I'll be careful," Zechs said.

He was pretty sure he knew what Heero was thinking. Zechs had noticed how miffed Duo looked, and the boy's unusual silence spoke volumes of what sort of argument the two had had that morning. He wasn't going to say any more than Heero had about the subject.

His coffee had gotten cold, so Zechs left to refill it. When he returned to the table, he nodded at Heero.

"Why don't you tell us what you found out about Kurama. We're curious that you'd drop your suspicions about him so quickly."

"He gave me a tip," Heero admitted.

His face closed up some, just a hint of a pinched expression to show that he didn't like being wrong. "Minamino Shuuichi. That's the name he was born with. He gave us his age, so I did a search for anyone with that name born 17 years ago and he turned up almost immediately. Even if I didn't believe that he'd given me the right name, there were more than enough pictures to identify him."

Heero sighed, glowering a bit. "He's a genius."

Wufei's lips twitched but he managed not to grin at Heero's disgruntled look. "Why do you say that?"

"Because it's documented," Heero sniffed. "From the age of eight he's been on records in Japan, tested and proven. Most of the headlines dubbed him some sort of future chemist or engineer, but the fact is that he excelled in every test they gave him. Not surprisingly, botany was his preferred field of study. I suspect his mutant abilities were the reason for that, if they developed early.

"I was right about one thing, though. He did have a connection to OZ." This garnered a few confused looks, and Heero nodded.

"His mother married a general, complete with his own six year old son of the same name. Both boy's were named Shuuichi, but Minamino Shuuichi was ten at the time, and still headlining for his work in a local university. He supposedly died a year later during a trip to the United States with his stepfather. OZ records pick it up from there."

Duo gave up any pretense of ignoring Heero, his expression wary but very curious. He joined the others in staring at the silent boy. After a moment, Heero sighed and seemed to deflate where he sat. If they hadn't argued that morning, Duo would have put an arm around the boy. He just looked miserable.

"His own family turned him in to OZ," Heero admitted.

That was the crux, the reason Heero had dismissed any suspicion of the teen. When he'd been seeing the cunning and sly redhead getting close and friendly with their group, he'd instantly gone on guard against him. Now he couldn't help but feel guilty about it. Berating himself for jumping to conclusions didn't help his mood any, either.

"According to OZ's records, the general turned him in the day they arrived in the US. I don't think his mother ever realized what had happened, but it was an obvious set up and a faked death. I wouldn't be surprised if OZ had one of their officers marry the mother just to get to the son. The headlines in Japan were too favorable toward their new child genius. OZ couldn't just make him disappear, even if they did publicize him as a mutant. They might have even hurt their own cause. If everyone knew their beloved genius was also a mutant, favor for mutants in general would have increased. They couldn't risk that.

"Official record states Minamino Shuuichi died in a car crash soon after reaching the US. OZ record states he disappeared two weeks after being taken into custody."

Heero smirked suddenly, shaking off that dark self-depreciating glower. "It's ironic, the timing. He came to the US on the exact day that Hiei and Yukina's foster father died. And his disappearance was mere hours after Hiei disappeared from the hospital, which was located less than eight miles from the base Kurama was kept at. If I didn't have absolute proof that the two had never been in the same country prior to that, I'd say they planned it."

"Like it was fate..." Duo breathed.

The others turned to look at Duo, who blushed a bit and scowled. Wufei in particular was smirking at him. Trowa seemed to find it amusing as well, raising an eyebrow with a light smile.

"Then you also believe in fate," Trowa commented. "That makes three of us." Beside him, Quatre flushed irritably.

"Anyway," Duo grumbled. "What happened? How did Kurama just disappear from the base?"

"Some sort of vine," Heero shrugged. "He must have snuck it inside because they'd taken him to a base without any plants nearby, and even the closest city was devoid. A desert town in Nevada. He was on foot, so OZ sent a squad after him. They found what was left of their men in an alley. That's where the record ends."

Zechs was nodding thoughtfully. "Then that really was how they met, just like both of their memories recalled it. Eight miles, though. If Hiei was hospitalized up until his own escape and made it eight miles in a matter of hours at the age of nine...and still managed to kill the team sent after Kurama..."

"His mutant abilities must have manifested in full force," Heero finished. "He'd have needed his speed to get that far so quickly. And he obviously had his strength because those men weren't killed by any plant, even a mutant-enhanced one. One of their swords was missing, the sort some of the officers wear for show. The record noted that as the murder weapon. It fits."

"The only question," Wufei said slowly, "is how Hiei knew where to go. They were complete strangers."

"The same way he knew I was reading Kurama," Zechs said, shaking his head with a forced smile. "They've had some sort of connection all along."

"But we don't need to pry into that," Quatre said quickly. "Do we?"

"No." Heero folded his arms and shifted more comfortably in his seat. "I don't suspect either of them." He shot a sharp look over to Quatre. "But Yukina is another matter. Ice."

Zechs straightened, his eyes wide. "You realized, then. We didn't make the connection till yesterday, something Yusuke told us. She's an A class mutant as well. Twins but opposites, fire and ice."

"Right," Heero nodded. "I don't suspect her of anything. But her very existence marks all three of them as potential targets. They're gathered in the most obvious place, and now we're here as well. So many coincidences are difficult to pass off as chance."

There wasn't much to say to that and they sat for a few minutes in silence. Heero abruptly scowled.

"Who is Yusuke?"

Wufei winced and gave a weak smile. "One of those bumblers I told you about. He's also the friend of Kuwabara. I forgot you hadn't met him. He's very friendly, and a little reckless, but he seems quick to pick up on things. Trowa thinks we should tell him what we're doing here."

That got Heero's undivided attention. He turned to stare at Trowa. "Why?"

Trowa shrugged. "We haven't actually seen his potential, as far as his mutant abilities go. But he's been helpful so far. Having a connection here who can blend in with the student body may prove useful. Kurama and Hiei are both too public here. I don't think anyone really pays attention to Yusuke or Kuwabara, while Yusuke notices everything that happens.

"It's up to you, of course. I just suggested we keep an eye on him as a potential ally, especially since he's decided we're to be trusted with information he doesn't mention to anyone else."

"It's not up to me," Heero said sharply. "You don't need my permission."

He sighed, scowling again. "I'm too quick to get suspicious. You, Zechs and Quatre have abilities to read minds, so you can tell if he's trustworthy or not."

"Now that we know to be on guard," Trowa added. He wasn't sure what to make of Heero's manner, but he didn't want to press. "We're just watching him. Nothing's final."

"Right."

Zechs sighed, glancing around the table. "I'm going to have a talk with Hiei before they come up here. I won't be working with him today, so it's better to get this out of the way." He nodded to Quatre as he got up from his seat. "I'll mention the idea of having you read from a distance - no need to do anything they aren't expecting."

"You might want to make sure Kurama isn't there when you talk to Hiei about it," Wufei said quickly.

His eyes were wary, and he was thinking about how dangerous Kurama had looked when he'd expressed his desire to strangle Zechs for probing Hiei's mind.

"I'll leave that up to him," Zechs nodded.

He turned away, leaving them at the table as he made his way across the room. No sooner had he reached the doorway than someone caught him, actually grabbing his arms and nearly knocking him over. Bright brown eyes gleamed up at him, and Zechs stared.

"I'm such an idiot!" Yusuke crowed, still leaning on Zechs a little.

He'd run right into the man, but he'd planned to, so he wasn't worried about how white Zechs' face was.

"There's nothing worse than having a baka notice something before you do, believe me. I might as well be as dumb as the rest of the kids here, not to see it."

"Are you all right?" Zechs asked warily.

He took a step back, extricating himself from Yusuke's grip. Despite the difference in their height, the boy was rather strong. "What is it?"

"You!"

Yusuke laughed, running a hand over his head and smoothing his dark hair back. "I thought you looked familiar, but it just didn't click. No one has white hair at nineteen - no one. That's like a dead give-away. And the only males around here who've ever been born with hair like that are Peacecrafts. But I just didn't make the connection. Kuwabara did. Of course, he's seen your picture a lot more than I have, so I don't feel too stupid. He didn't figure it out till Yukina told him. It's just not nice having your idiot friend tell you something so obvious, you know?"

"I'm not-"

"It was the name that threw me off," Yusuke continued. "I didn't even think that you might have changed your name, not too bright of me, really. But still, the age and hair were just so obvious. Eh...hate missing the obvious."

"Yes," Zechs said slowly. "Well, I really should be going. I have to talk to-"

"Right," Yusuke said. He smirked, stepping out of the way. "Didn't mean to knock you over, I just wanted to congratulate you, that's all. Aside from Yukina, none of the students know you're even back. Great how stupid they all are. As long as it doesn't affect them directly, they don't pay any attention. Keeps the pressure off you, I guess. I sure wouldn't want to be in your shoes when everyone realizes the crown prince has returned."

Zechs didn't even attempt to correct that, his eyebrow twitching a bit at Yusuke's broad grin. He had an idea the boy was trying to provoke him because he was being so abrupt himself. Stepping to the side, Zechs managed a wistful smile.

"Just don't call me Milliardo. I hate that name."

With a light laugh, Yusuke waved a hand at him. "Don't blame you for that - too close to mallard. No one wants to be named after a duck. Zechs is much better; six or sex. Either way, with those five friends of yours it can't be all bad."

Heat rushed over Zechs' face and he clamped his mouth shut to keep from responding to that. He gave a sober look, ignoring Yusuke's smirk, and turned away.

After the mental images the boy had produced the day before, he should have expected him to have that sort of humor. And he wasn't really that bothered by it. He had an idea Yusuke only teased people he liked. Besides, the 'six' connection was a good one. He had been the sixth mutant to join the group. Ironic how that had worked out.

It wasn't until he reached the door to the lower area that Zechs wondered about his visit. There wasn't any sort of intercom system, and knocking wouldn't do any good. But the two mutants lived down there. Somehow it didn't feel right to just show up unexpected this way.

He thought about waiting, catching Hiei as they two came out. Only he didn't want to put this off any longer than he had to. That 'attack' last night had been unpleasant to say the least, and he wanted to warn the boy that he was broadcasting to him. Otherwise chances were the moment Hiei came out of the shielded area he'd be getting more thoughts from him, inadvertently spying on him.

It was a common ethics that Quatre and Trowa shared; telepaths didn't read their friends unless they had a very good reason for the intrusion. Now that Heero had dropped his suspicions, Kurama and Hiei counted as friends. Hiei could hate him all he wanted, but it didn't change anything. Reading him, when he wasn't expecting it, was wrong.

After a brief moment, he pushed his hesitation aside and went down.

The tunnel was as dim as ever but the wide gymnasium was brightly lit, a familiar dark head visible through the glass of the resting area. Zechs let out a quiet sigh of relief to see that Hiei was awake and, even better, alone at the moment. The boy glanced over when he crossed the room, not seeming surprised at this early visit.

Hiei didn't get up and Zechs paused in the doorway, nodding to him.

"I wanted to talk to you," Zechs said quickly. "You won't like what I have to say, so I'll make it fast."

Hiei raised an eyebrow, not bothering to straighten from where he was leaning on his elbows. "It couldn't wait?"

"No."

Sniffing at him, Hiei jerked his head toward the chair across the table from him. "Sit and talk, then."

It was unnerving to have those red eyes focused on him at such a close range, and Zechs found himself staring, a mental image supplanting another face over Hiei's. Maybe it was just the bored, almost tired expression the boy had, but his resemblance to Yukina seemed much more obvious this morning.

Zechs shook the thought aside, focusing on what he had to discuss.

"After I left yesterday, I started getting random thoughts from you. I wasn't reading you," Zechs said quickly. "It was more like you were broadcasting your thoughts. Only no one else heard them. Whatever connection I made when I passed your jagan's block, it seems to have held so I can't break it. And a few hours after I first noticed, that presence contacted me."

Dark red eyes narrowed, one pale fang-like tooth visible from Hiei's sneer, and Zechs shook his head furiously.

"I know what you said about that. I'm telling you that either you're wrong, or some part of your subconscious is trying to communicate with me. I wasn't the only person to feel it. Trowa and Quatre also felt it - as if you were using your jagan, only they felt that coming from inside my mind, not from you. Somehow that connection I made when I read you is letting that essence cross over at random.

"And if it really is a subconscious but autonomous part of your mind, then it used the connection to aim a direct attack on me - an attack, or a projected memory. Either way, it was aimed at me, not the other way around."

Hiei blinked, his expression blank. "Autonomous?" Zechs gave him a startled look, and he growled at the man. "Explain the meaning."

"You..."

"English isn't Hiei's first language, you know."

The white-haired man blinked in surprise, and Kurama smiled as he eased inside the room to lean in the doorway. "A little early for a visit, isn't it?"

The first thought that flashed through Zechs' mind was that the redhead was much more masculine than he'd realized. The second was that he was far too naked to be looking at.

He dropped his eyes, grimacing as he felt his face flush with heat. "I wanted a - talk with Hiei. It's important, but I can wait-"

"You said you couldn't wait," Hiei reminded him.

He was still angry, half convinced the man thought he was some sort of idiot for not understanding that word he'd used. But seeing him blush over the fox as if Kurama wasn't wearing a perfectly respectable pair of pants was amusing. Hiei's glare faded away to be replaced with a slow smirk.

"Did you change your mind?"

"Well..."

"Don't mind me," Kurama said lightly, his eyes glinting.

Zechs glanced up at him, and Kurama smirked when the man abruptly looked away, focusing on Hiei instead. Prudish, maybe? He was fairly certain this was the sort of reaction Wufei had complained about, but Kurama found it almost cute. Now if Hiei would just show a similar reaction to him, he'd be a happy teen.

Running a hand over his damp hair, Kurama crossed to the chair next to Hiei. He pulled it to the side and sat, presenting his back to the dark-haired boy. With another look at Zechs, he smiled.

"Go ahead and talk. It's not like you're intruding on us."

"A-ah."

Zechs winced at his own heated face and turned his attention to Hiei, pausing a bit when the boy nodded at him. Hiei was combing Kurama's wet hair with his fingers, seemingly oblivious to the fact that it looked like a private ritual. But he didn't seem the least bit uncomfortable at being watched. In fact, he almost looked like he was amused. Zechs frowned.

"Autonomous - something that can act on its own but is still a part of the whole," Zechs explained. "You said that presence I felt was your subconscious mind. If that's true, then it's also autonomous - capable of communicating without you being aware of it. I doubt you were intentionally sending me your thoughts, and I know I wasn't seeking them out. I even placed a block in my own mind to keep from hearing them. That's when I felt that presence focus on me - as if it were directing something at me. I don't know what it was, but it had an intelligence behind it. I told you before that it had focused on me when I was reading you - this was similar. It sought me out and I had a difficult time not hearing whatever it wanted to tell me."

"You were reading me anyway."

Hiei sniffed and his eyes narrowed in a bit of annoyance. He was still focused on drying Kurama's hair, but he'd been doing that for years so he didn't have to worry about getting a little distracted.

"So instead of having to look for my thoughts, they're going to you? That would just make it easier."

"It..." Zechs sighed, rubbing his temple. "It feels hostile. I knew you were unaware of the thoughts being directed to me, but this is more like a retaliation - instinctive, maybe. I'm worried that this subconscious mind of yours - that presence I felt - it may target anyone who passes your jagan. I blocked it before I could find out what it was trying to send me, but it may have been a memory or a mental attack. If it's the second one, then you need to control it.

"An instinctive defense mechanism like that is useful if someone tries to read you without your permission, but you could easily find it targeting comrades, anyone at all, without even realizing it. And even ignoring that presence, you'll want to find a way to stop yourself from broadcasting - if you aren't doing that, then it's that presence doing it. Either way, you need to find a way to control that force, a conscious control. If I can focus on it, and it can focus on me, then it isn't subconscious at all. You should be able to focus on it and control it the same way you would any other part of yourself. The way you told me you control your thoughts."

Bright green eyes flicked back over a shoulder, and Hiei glowered at Kurama's concerned expression. With a pointed look, he turned the redhead's face back around so he could finish drying that damp hair. His voice was strained when he replied to Zechs.

"If you're the one getting thoughts you don't want to get, you should be the one working on a block to keep them out. What I send or don't send is up to me - if you don't want them, don't let them in."

Zechs glared suddenly, his hands curling in his lap. "Are you voiding yourself of any responsibility here? Do you actually want to be sending your private thoughts out to anyone who can hear them? I have worked on a block, but that doesn't change the fact that you're sending thoughts out without meaning to - you can't just ignore that."

"I can't change it," Hiei hissed.

He pulled his hands away from Kurama's hair, not wanting to singe the silky strands if his anger got too high. His eyes glinted when he turned to glare at Zechs.

"I told you before. I told you that voice was me. I told you. If you refuse to believe it, that's your choice. But don't tell me to control some outside force - it isn't an outside force and it has more control over me than I do over it - it is me. If you can't get that through your head, that's your problem. If you don't want to communicate with it, then ask it to stop. Don't cry to me because I won't take the responsibility of sheltering you. You wanted to know, sought it out in my mind, and it responded accordingly. Now you complain?"

"It controls you...?"

Zechs' first instinct had been to compare the presence with what he might feel if he met Quatre controlling someone's mind. But Hiei had dismissed that notion completely.

"How can it be you if it controls you? Why would I need to ask it if you are it? That doesn't make sense!"

There was honest bewilderment in Zechs' tone, and Kurama sighed. Turning in his chair, he moved a restraining arm around Hiei's shoulders and frowned at the white-haired man across from them.

"Have you studied psychiatry?" Kurama asked. "Do you understand the meaning of subconscious thought? You use the word as if you do, but you don't seem to grasp the real meaning of subconscious.

"Sub, Zechs, subconscious - not conscious. Put your hand in the middle of a fire. You can tell your hand to stay there, but you can't tell your instincts to stop wanting to pull away - your instincts know you are ignoring them, but you can't make them obey you - they're subconscious instincts. Aware, but uncontrollable by the conscious mind. They know you, but you don't know them.

"Think of dreams. Most are subconscious, the all-seeing mind telling your limited conscious mind what it needs to notice but isn't seeing on its own. You can't tell it to stop. You can drug yourself so its voice is quiet enough that you can consciously ignore it, but you can't control it on your own.

"A mindreader is little more than a psychiatrist who hypnotizes a patient in order to communicate with and read the subconscious memories, that latent part hidden away from even the person himself. Could you tell a xenophobic person to stop being afraid? Of course not. But you can convince his subconscious that there's no need to be afraid - dealing with the fear at the source. What you're asking is for Hiei to control something that no one is capable of controlling on his own.

"A telepath communicates with the conscious mind, sharing thoughts, present emotions, feelings, connections between what's happening around him and things he remembers. A mindreader goes deeper and in order to go deeper than what the person recalls on his own, you have to deal with the subconscious. Hiei is different only in that he remembers everything on his own, consciously. That doesn't mean he lacks a subconscious mind, just that his conscious memories are more extensive than most people. If you read his mind, you'll still have to deal with his subconscious, just like you would with anyone."

Zechs was staring at him with wide eyes, taking in what he'd said. Kurama sighed again and ran a hand through his mostly dry hair. "I never thought I'd be helping you read Hiei's mind. How distasteful."

The disgruntled voice made Hiei smirk, and he shot a look over at Kurama. "Just can't help but be helpful, can you. Perfectly respectable, helpful and polite. I'll break you of it one of these days."

"Preferably soon," Kurama glowered, shifting in his chair. "I hate that instinct."

"Keeps you well-liked," Hiei reminded him, smirking wider. "Though it's a bad habit now. I wanted him to scramble through it on his own till he went mad with frustration."

Kurama couldn't help but laugh at Hiei's evil smile, and he shook his head at the boy. "Now, now, we don't want them thinking you are dangerous to them."

He shot a look over at Zechs, frowning at the man's narrow eyes. "If Hiei had an instinctive defense mechanism, do you really think it would send you thoughts and memories instead of tearing your mind apart the moment it had access to you? I admit, I don't see why his subconscious would want to communicate with you, but if it does, then some part of Hiei wants it. I can't argue with that. You shouldn't complain, either."

"He can complain," Hiei sniffed. He shrugged his shoulders, glowering over at Zechs. "You think communicating with me is bad? Talking to that part of me is like talking to Kurama when he's angry. Unpleasant."

"Oh, really," Kurama frowned. "I'd hardly compare our tempers, and you've never seen me unpleasant. Teasing and irritating maybe, but not unpleasant."

Hiei rolled his eyes. "It's that superior taunting of yours - unpleasant when you can't hit the one irritating you. No one likes communicating with someone who thinks he knows everything."

"Ah," Kurama smirked. "But if your subconscious is the same way, then you're no better than I am."

"I don't have to talk to it," Hiei grumbled. "You're harder to ignore."

Standing suddenly, Kurama tossed his hair over a shoulder and sniffed. "What a way to start the morning. A lecture to the enemy and an underhanded compliment from my partner. I'll leave you two to your talk. If anyone decides I'm pleasant to talk with, I'll be in the forest."

The redhead stalked from the room without glancing back, and Hiei smirked as he watched him disappear around the corner. A minute later he was crossing the space, a light coat fluttering a bit at his quick walk. Kurama was funny when miffed - not when he was angry, just when he was in a huff. He waited until the fox was gone before letting go of his smile and turning back to look at Zechs.

"So," Hiei said. "What are you going to do?"

"I didn't understand," Zechs admitted. "I still don't, not completely, but I'm getting the idea. If you're willing to continue this, I'd like to find out more about this subconscious mind of yours. But I also wanted to ask you if you'd be willing to let Quatre take part in this. He doesn't have any experience with making mental blocks. Ignoring the problem I have now, getting past the jagan itself was a challenge. Having him face that sort of negative energy would serve as motivation so he can find a way to protect himself."

"How would he be doing that?" Hiei asked, raising an eyebrow as he imagined it.

The blonde boy was too soft; he'd seen it in his stricken eyes after Zechs had been caught reading Kurama. He didn't like the idea of intentionally hurting someone like that, someone who obviously shared Yukina's sensitivity. But if the boy were completely defenseless against mental attacks, then he would need to fix that.

"What's your plan?"

-

After a quick and interesting introduction of Heero and Duo to Yusuke, curiosity had the six of them outside. A bit of bragging and a promise of one heck of a light show were Yusuke's way of getting Heero to go along with the idea. Yusuke didn't realize that Heero would have gone without the wheedling.

Aside from Wufei, none had seen any of this purported 'power' Yusuke claimed to have. And if Trowa were seriously considering the boy as a worthwhile ally, Heero for one wanted to know exactly how strong Yusuke was.

Luckily Kuwabara was rounded up before they set out, both Yusuke and Wufei assuring the others that a target was needed, preferably one who could fight back. Yusuke shrugged as he admitted that Kuwabara wasn't very good at the 'fighting back' area, but that his endurance was a little better. The insult worked nicely to provoke the ensuing fight.

Wufei kept a close eye on Heero as the two teens sparred, eager to see if Heero made the same connection to Trowa that he had. Some part of him was also hoping that Heero would be impressed enough to want Yusuke as part of their group. As surprised as he'd been to find out how deviously smart Yusuke was, he rather liked the boy. He didn't want to get too close to a friend he'd have to continually lie to. But unless Heero gave his support to the idea, Wufei knew Trowa wouldn't choose Yusuke as a member of their group.

Whatever Heero had said about it not being up to him, the rest of them followed his lead. It was Heero's team and had been from the very beginning.

As Wufei had expected, Heero did make an immediate connection when he saw Yusuke's visible energy. The boy had glowed with an almost thick white light, very similar to that sheath of green Trowa had displayed in the OZ base not long ago. Only unlike Trowa, Yusuke had clear control of the energy, drawing it in until it fairly sparkled around his fists - his chosen weapons. Kuwabara, on the other hand, was a blatant surprise to everyone watching.

Yusuke had made a mention to Wufei that Kuwabara used a visible weapon, but they hadn't expected him to mimic that energy flow. Just as he'd glowed when giving energy to Duo, Kuwabara had displayed it again moments before manifesting a weapon. The coloring and visible inconsistency of the golden sword told plainly that it was made of that energy, but he gripped it in his right hand as if it were a solid sword, just a flaming one.

Unfortunately, it didn't seem at all useful to him. A sword against fists just didn't make for an even fight - Yusuke was clearly the faster of the two.

Heero noted that while Yusuke didn't have anything approaching his own inhuman speed, the boy was quite agile. He was quick to dodge and twist, fairly pummeling his friend with blows that left a shimmer of energy where they landed. The sweeps of Kuwabara's sword seemed overly clumsy in comparison, but Heero knew it wasn't as bad as it seemed. The taller teenager just couldn't match that fluid motion his attacker used, and the loud taunts incensed him to the point where whatever inherent grace he might have had was abandoned in place of sheer annoyed and frustrated swipes.

Mere minutes after the onset of the match, Kuwabara was on the ground grumbling curses while his smaller friend stood over him, laughing with a mocking yet clearly affectionate smile.

"Laugh now," Kuwabara growled, shoving to his feet again. He swayed a bit but hefted his fists, that energy sword abandoned where he'd fallen. "You'll be crying when I'm done with you, Urameshi!"

The orange-haired boy barreled toward him and Yusuke winced, still grinning as he held his ground. It really wasn't nice of him to humiliate his friend in front of others like this. But he could always count on Kuwabara to never admit when he'd been defeated.

He held his place till his friend was nearly on top of him. Then he ducked, letting Kuwabara's fist sail over his head. He twisted to the side and knocked the boy down, a light blow to the back being enough to send him face first into the grass.

"Don't get all excited," Yusuke drawled.

He sent a knowing smile down at the boy, Kuwabara twisting to glower up at him.

"It's not a real fight, after all. We're putting on a show here - at least I am."

Yusuke caught Wufei's eye and lifted his right hand, his arm held straight with elbow locked.

"I call this my rei-gan," he said. "It's pretty good for distance fights, and I can multiply it if I have a lot of targets. Only, it's stronger if I keep the energy condensed for a single shot. Naturally, I guess. After all, what's more powerful - a rocket-launcher or an automatic machine gun? Just depends on the target."

Focusing on the tip of his finger, Yusuke closed his left hand over his wrist and aimed at a point in the sky. He drew that energy of his so it concentrated in the spot where he'd curled his hand to resemble a gun. When he was sure the others were watching him, he grinned and let it free. Two gasps were more than reward enough to stroke his ego.

The energy had formed a glowing white ball around Yusuke's finger, but what followed was more like a beam. The light shot straight upward in a narrow streak, cutting through a cloud above and disappearing from sight. Quatre and Trowa had been standing closest to the boy, so they felt the heat of that released energy. The looks they turned on each other brought back Yusuke's claim of being A class despite his single talent.

Heero's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Though he hadn't been there to hear of Yusuke's abilities, it was clear he had multiple uses for that energy of his. He nodded to the boy. "How do you use that force on multiple targets?"

"I use my fists," Yusuke explained, grinning happily. "I think of it like shadow-boxing or something. I figure when I hit something and the energy is collected in my fist, it makes the blow much stronger than a normal attack. So if the target is away from me, I direct the energy itself to go out and strike. I haven't used it much since I don't exactly have targets I can just destroy at random. But I'm pretty sure it would be almost as strong as my rei-gan - just not so concentrated since I'd be using shorter bursts of energy."

"Show off."

Yusuke blinked and turned to frown at Kuwabara. His friend had risen and was walking over to where he'd left his sword, the boy's shoulders stating clearly that he was still bristling over the mock fight.

"Don't be like that," Yusuke called. "It's not my fault you don't have a distance attack. Besides, I can't use a sword like you can - we just have different talents, that's all."

Glancing back to the others, Yusuke shrugged at Wufei. "Kuwa here can make his sword stretch longer, but it doesn't help much with a fast opponent. If you ask me, it's the size difference that really hurts him. He's too tall to really fight someone fast who uses close tactics. Doesn't make us a good match to spar. He's pretty strong without using his energy, but so am I, and I'm faster. That rankles him."

"I can see why," Wufei winced.

He was at a better vantage point, so he had a clear view of Kuwabara's mottled scowl. The boy was glaring at his sword as if he wanted nothing more than to charge at his friend for another fight. Those blows had left visible bruises but didn't seem to bother him too much. Wufei was fairly certain it was because Kuwabara could handle the attacks, not because the blows hadn't been powerful. It made him wonder if this energy the two used didn't serve as a defense as well as an offensive talent.

"But my talent is really versatile," Yusuke was saying. "That's why I think it should count as A class. As far as I can shoot my rei-gan, I bet I could take out a meteor if it were visible from the ground. Something that powerful, it has to be good enough to be A class."

"If you can take out a meteor," a soft voice called, "I'd call you A class."

The boys turned, Kuwabara jumping a bit to find the voice so close to where he was standing. A few bushes parted so Kurama could slip through them and he smiled at Yusuke's surprised look.

"Really," Kurama said. "If you can single-handedly destroy something capable of wiping out all life on this planet, then I'll call you anything you like."

Yusuke's face twisted into a derogatory sneer. "Mock all you want."

"Whoever said I was mocking you?"

Kurama smiled and nodded to the others, his eyes pausing on Duo. He crossed over to where the boy was and tilted his head as he looked at him. Duo was giving him a strange look that Kurama couldn't quite interpret. Something about the boy's expression made him wonder if Duo didn't feel sympathy toward him. He couldn't see why he would, though.

"I'm glad to see you out and about," Kurama said softly. "I hear you managed to do excellent with your talent. Now that you know how powerful you are, take care of that skill. No need to push something that will come naturally in time."

The compliment was nice, but Duo didn't appreciate the reminder. He was pretty sure Heero's insults would stay with him for weeks. He didn't need Kurama to add to it. Suddenly he thought he knew why Wufei was so embarrassed and angry about getting tired after using his talent. Having others know that you'd overextended yourself was bad enough without being lectured for it. And the worst part wasn't even having Heero tell him flat out that he'd been stupid to keep stubbornly pushing himself. The worst part was being certain that if he were in the same situation, he'd do the exact same thing.

Quite frankly, Duo didn't know what the warning signs were. Heero had acted as if he just ignored the signs when really, Duo hadn't seen any at all. He'd never felt that way before, had never so much as felt tired after using his talents. He'd spent years being invisible at all times. If constant use of his ability hadn't tired him, then how was he supposed to know it would this time? As far as he was concerned, Heero was being a jerk for no good reason.

He had no right to blame Duo for something he'd had no reason to be on guard against, and something he knew he wouldn't be able to avoid in the future unless he stopped using his abilities all together. He couldn't exactly watch out for something when he didn't know what he was watching for.

Kurama was waiting as if he expected some sort of response. Duo gave him a vague nod before shifting his gaze away. "Right."

The boy was clearly upset, and Kurama suspected Heero was to blame since that one wasn't looking at either of them. They were both being careful not to so much as glance at the other. A lover's spat? He just hoped he wasn't inadvertently to blame for it.

Turning away from them, he found himself looking at Kuwabara again. The boy had been holding that odd sword of his. Now, he'd retracted it, the shape fading away as that energy flowed into his palm and disappeared. Kurama went over to him, catching his attention as well as his wrist.

"You know," Kurama commented, brushing his thumb over Kuwabara's palm and noting the heat there, "this is similar to what Hiei uses. The energy, I mean. He has a sword that looks almost identical to yours - it's just black and made of fire rather than energy like yours."

Kuwabara blinked in surprise and stared down at his palm. Part of his mind noted that Yusuke was looking at him with a bit of confused jealousy and he straightened his back.

"It's not a weak talent," Kuwabara sniffed, shooting a look at Yusuke. Yusuke rolled his eyes and looked away.

"Of course it isn't," Kurama said, his tone placating.

He released Kuwabara and lifted a hand to his hair, plucking a small seed. "It just isn't fulfilled, that's all. You use that sword as a stationary, solid weapon. But it's made of your own energy. That is pliable."

Flicking his wrist, he turned the seed into a long, slender vine. "It would serve as a weapon for distance attacks as easily as close combat. You just need to use it as such."

"What?"

Kurama jerked his arm, sending that whip arching toward him and Kuwabara jumped to the side with wide eyes. He grabbed at his palm and manifested his sword on instinct, just managing to block the whip before it could hit him.

"Are you attacking me!"

"I should say so," Kurama smirked. "Counter it."

"How!"

Kuwabara swung his sword at the vine, but instead of cutting through the thing, he found his weapon halted. The whip wrapped around his rei-ken, nearly jerking it from his grasp.

"I can't cut through it!"

"No," Kurama said. "I tend to model my plants to counter Hiei's fire, so your energy isn't nearly hot enough to burn the whip. As for cutting it, think about that. If I were to cut your sword, what would happen? You'd just shift the energy to seal the sword once more - making it solid only when you want it to be solid so that nothing can truly cut through it unless you let it. I can do the same with my plants."

Kuwabara jerked down to pull his sword free and gaped when the vine was severed into pieces, as if the edges of his rei-ken had suddenly gotten sharper. "You did that?"

"You can do the same," Kurama said. He waved a hand at Kuwbara's sword. "If that were truly solid, my vine would have sliced through it. You control that by thickening the energy. I have to actually a regrow any plant you sever, all you have to do is rearrange the energy. When it comes to the weapons themselves, your rei-ken is far more versatile than my vine. It's just a matter of how you use it."

"Still doesn't help against distance attacks," Yusuke scoffed. This earned him a heated glare from Kuwbara and he sniffed at the boy. "He could have that whip of his cut you into bits. You can't block something like that forever."

"I could help you with that," Kurama said, nodding to Kuwabara. "I know Yusuke says neither of you need help with your talents, but I could help you shift your sword into a mobile weapon that would suit distance attacks."

Wufei shot Kurama a pointed look. "You mean he could use his sword the way I do my lightening."

"Exactly like that," Kurama smiled. He tilted his head and raised an eyebrow at Kuwabara's wary expression. "You are interested in mastering your talents, aren't you?"

"I don't know," Kuwabara said slowly. The idea of having a skill for distance fights was nice, but it wouldn't really help him beat the living snot out of Yusuke. "I'm better at close fights, anyway."

"But you're too slow for that," Yusuke taunted. "That's the problem."

"Shut up, you!"

Kurama grinned and ducked forward to place a hand on Kuwabara's shoulder. The taller teen had been a few seconds away from launching himself at Yusuke.

"You prefer to fight close up?" Kurama asked. Kuwabara gave him a stout nod, and Kurama winked. "All right, then."

The redhead stepped back and shifted, his hair and clothing fading to white. Wufei was surprised that he'd bother changing forms, but the looks on his friends' faces were nice. He realized that aside from himself and Duo, they hadn't seen Kurama's white-haired form. He smirked over at Duo, who seemed to be enjoying how wide Heero's eyes had gone. It wasn't strange, considering Une was the only 'shape-shifter' they'd met so far.

Kuwabara stumbled back to put distance between himself and the taller, paler version of Kurama. He and Yusuke had seen him like this a few times, but he'd never imagined actually fighting him. The only time he'd ever seen Kurama fight in this form was when he was facing Hiei. As much as Kuwabara disliked that irritating shrimp, he admitted to his strength. He'd had enough trouble with one plant whip - he knew he wouldn't stand a chance against the sort of huge vines and crazy plants Kurama could use in this form.

"No need to be so jumpy," Kurama said, a wry smile curving his lips. "One of your main attributes is that you're powerfully built for close combat. I admit I'm not very strong in my normal aspect, not for hand to hand fighting. This is a little better."

Holding his right hand up, Kurama closed his fist. Green swamped over his arm, wrapping around it until it formed a swirled sword that appeared to be made of tiny overlapping vines. With a nod to it, he gave Kuwabara a tight grin. "Close combat, then."

"Wait a second," Yusuke said. He ran over to stand between Kurama and Kuwabara, shooting Kurama a dark glare. "You can't fight him. He might look like a big dope, but he's not bad with a sword."

"You're good at the underhanded compliments," Kurama noted. He glowered at Yusuke and pressed the boy to the side. "I may enjoy watching your fight with Hiei."

"What about your motto of not fighting in front of students," Yusuke muttered. He waved a hand to direct Kurama's attention to the others.

"I'm not fighting," Kurama sniffed. "I'm teaching Kuwabara that there's a good reason to have access to distance fighting methods. Some opponents are not to be met face to face. Whatever you might think to the contrary, I'm one of them."

Kuwabara wasn't sure who was insulting him more, Kurama or Yusuke, but he lifted his sword in preparation. "Is that plant sword of yours as sharp as the vines you send at Hiei? I don't want to cut you up."

Smiling at the boy, Kurama took a slow step forward. "It's sharp, but I won't let it touch you. Don't worry about cutting me, just keep your own sword solid. If you prefer close fighting, you'll have to use your own weapon to block your opponent's weapon. Once you've established your defense, it comes down to physical strength, speed, and agility."

Yusuke eased away, still scowling at the two, and ended up near Wufei. He sent a frown over to him. "Kurama's in a bad mood."

"Really?" Wufei asked. "Why do you say that?"

"Because he plans to kick Kuwabara's ass." Yusuke folded his arms over his chest, glaring darker at Kurama. "I did that because he's Kuwabara, and I wanted to show off. He's doing it because...I don't know. He doesn't have a good reason. If he really is strong enough to face Kuwa in a sword fight, then he already knows he's going to win. There's no point in that. It's one thing for me to beat him up, he's used to it. But getting humiliated by Kurama...that's just cruel."

Duo raised an eyebrow and moved to the two boys, keeping an eye on the two in question. "Kurama's an S class. Wouldn't he expect to lose to an S class mutant anyway?"

"You don't know Kuwabara," Yusuke sighed. "He thinks he can beat anyone, no matter what class they're supposed to be in. Hiei's the only one he considers stronger than him, and that's only because he's afraid of Hiei's dragon - gives him the shivers. He hates that."

Duo winced. "Well, I saw that dragon of his. It is intimidating."

"Yeah," Yusuke said, "but that's not the problem. It literally gives Kuwabara the shivers. He says it just doesn't feel right. I think it might be the color - we haven't seen anyone else use black energy. But Kuwa swears it's not natural. Whatever it is, that's half the reason Kuwabara can't stand him. He won't admit it, but Hiei's got him cowed. Kurama on the other hand, Kuwabara likes him but doesn't consider him a real opponent. It's almost like pitting Kuwabara against Yukina - he'd never fight well against someone he likes. Kurama knows that."

The two teens in question were currently circling each other, but Kurama had heard Yusuke clearly enough. His pale gray ears did more than bring out the color of his hair, after all. He frowned at the comments but ignored them.

He wasn't taking his irritation out on Kuwabara, and he certainly had no plans to humiliate the teen. He was just going to give him a reason to work on his distance fighting. Hiei wouldn't let him help extend his entsatsu-ken, but Kuwabara...Kurama was pretty sure he could convince Kuwabara to let him help with his own energy sword. And one thing Kurama enjoyed was experimenting with talents, even if they weren't his own.

Kuwabara didn't seem eager to start the fight so Kurama made the first move. He rushed forward, his sword aimed directly at the teen's chest. As expected, Kuwabara blocked the spot, the plant blade striking his rei-ken and sending a shower of golden sparks into their faces.

Kurama jerked away in surprise, his eyes narrow. Those sparks burned where they fell. He picked his speed up a notch in response to that.

Rather than meeting swords and having a test of who could push the other back, Kurama made darting moves, forcing his opponent to block or risk being hit. His height seemed to mark a difference from Kuwabara's previous fight with Yusuke. While Kurama wasn't any slower than Yusuke, he was much taller, nearly at Kuwabara's level. Fighting someone with a similar build let Kuwabara match the movements without having to bend at a dodging target. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't nearly as agile as Kurama - his thick build couldn't twist the way a more slender person could.

Ducking as Kuwabara rushed him, Kurama twisted into a crouch, his tail flashing out to help his balance. He arced his arm so the sword grazed a bit of hair at the back of Kuwabara's neck. That sent a shiver down the boy's back that made him freeze.

"If I were Hiei," Kurama said softly, "your head would be gone."

Kuwabara hunched his shoulders and rubbed at his neck as he twisted around to scowl down at the crouching teen. "Don't say things like that!"

"You judge your opponent, then use the tactics that will give you the most advantage," Kurama continued, not shifting from his low position. "Your best chance at matching me would be to use a mix of close combat and distance fighting. You would use your sword as a tactile weapon but keep me at least three feet from you at all times so I couldn't use my agility to get past your defense. With this weapon I'm using now, that sort of fight would be difficult for me. I wouldn't be able to make a hit, while you, with a curving weapon, would have both a defense and an offense."

"But you'd use a whip if you were fighting like that," Kuwabara muttered.

"True," Kurama said, "but it would take time to grow one. Even a few seconds would be enough for you to establish the upper hand. If you knew how to extend and curve your rei-ken."

"And that's what you wanted to teach me?"

Kuwabara stepped back, frowning when Kurama didn't bother to stand. It felt strange looking down into those narrow golden eyes. He was used to Kurama being one of the taller people he knew, and the last time he'd been this close to him in that white-haired form was when he'd first met him on the lawn of the school.

"I can teach you that," Kurama said, "if you want to learn."

The boy shrugged, clearly thinking about it, and Kurama gave a slow smile. He still felt like fighting, but he wasn't about to do what Yusuke had said he would. Defeating Kuwabara, when the boy didn't even have his talent mastered, was pointless.

"Playing with children?"

The low voice managed to catch everyone off guard and Kurama was on his feet in an instance.

Hiei sniffed and hopped down from the tree he'd landed in. His sweeping gaze disregarded the others in the small clearing, Kuwabara shifting away from Kurama until he was standing next to Yusuke.

"Who are you calling children?" Kuwabara growled. He glared down at the little teen, but didn't move any closer to him. "Chibi."

Hiei rolled his eyes, not so much as looking at him. "Baka."

"Kisama!"

Yusuke winced and caught hold of Kuwabara's arm before the boy could run over and get himself knocked out. As much as Kuwa disliked Hiei's blatant power, he couldn't seem to resist getting into arguments with him. Yusuke was pretty sure Yukina was the reason for that.

"Don't start," Yusuke sighed.

"Didn't realize you were so bored," Hiei said, his gaze latching onto Kurama again. The silver-haired fox raised an eyebrow at him. "Keep playing with them and you'll get slow."

Kurama sniffed and turned his eyes up to the canopy above them. "I really don't see how-"

Heat and a slight shift in the plantlife around him were all the signs Kurama needed. His eyes flashed with a mix of green and gold and he crouched, palms flat against the ground.

Never once did he glance at Hiei, but the sudden wall twisted into place seconds before a wave of black flame hit it. Not so much as a spark slipped through to touch him. Yusuke cursed.

"What the hell are you thinking!"

Yusuke stared at Hiei in something akin to horror. The small teen hadn't given any warning, and that sudden blast of fire had been enough to completely burn all of the grass between him and Kurama. "He wasn't even looking at you!"

"Exactly," Hiei sniffed.

That wall of plants was deteriorating, slipping back down as the vines and quickly shifted stems of grass returned to normal. The fox stood as he was revealed and Hiei gave him an appreciative smirk. "Nice reflexes."

"Thank you," Kurama smiled. "I was just convincing Kuwabara to let me help him with his talent. It seems he has a rei-ken very similar to your ensatsu-ken. Why, the only difference seems to be the color of the two. It's very smart of him to master that skill."

Hiei glowered over at Kuwabara, giving the boy a distasteful look. "You can hardly call it a skill," he scoffed.

The orange-haired boy bristled at the insult and Kurama winced. "Don't pay any attention to him, Kuwabara. Hiei just doesn't like using his enstatsu-ken. He's prejudiced."

With a snort at Kuwabara, Hiei passed him, seeking out a specific person. He stopped in front of Quatre and ignored Trowa's suspicious look. "You're the controller?"

Quatre's eyes widened and he sent a quick look at Yusuke and Kuwabara. So far they hadn't told them about each of them being A class. Yusuke knew only that he could read minds. But he supposed at this point it didn't really matter. He turned his attention to the short boy in front of him and nodded.

"Prove it," Hiei said, his tone neutral. The blonde boy stared at him and he jerked his head toward Kurama. "Make the fox yip."

Quatre choked a bit, his eyes flying over to see Kurama turn bright red, that silvery tail bristling in either anger or embarrassment - probably both. He shook his head. "I don't think I should-"

"Can't do it?" Hiei taunted. He was careful not to look back, very aware of the fury radiating in his direction. "That's his strongest form. If you can control him, you can control anyone. Go on, make the fox yip."

Kurama growled, his golden eyes fairly flashing. "Hiei, I swear..."

His friends were looking at him, and Quatre paled when he saw Heero raising an eyebrow at him as if to ask what he was waiting for. Beside him, Trowa gave a subtle nod and a small smile. Quatre winced away, closing his eyes in embarrassment - not his own, but for Kurama. He didn't see what his control accomplished.

Eyes widening, Kurama went very still, his mouth forming silent words. Then he crouched on all fours and, tail wagging behind him, let out a coughing yip that made Yusuke fall on his backside with laughter.

Hiei gave a loud, sharp laugh, and Quatre buried his face in his hands, ducking behind Trowa. He could already sense the pure retaliatory fury pulsing through the one he'd just controlled.

Kurama growled, a long almost rumbling sound. His tail slashed when he stood, cutting the air behind him as if it were one of his vines. And he stalked toward the group of teens with enough danger in his eyes to make even Heero get out of the way. His target seemed oblivious.

Hiei grinned at him, quiet laughter shaking his shoulders.

"You think you're so cute," Kurama growled, closing the distance between him and his prey.

"Funny, was it? Enjoyed that, did you?" He was now a foot away, Hiei tilting his head back so he could plainly see the boy's taunting grin. Kurama's eyes narrowed till they were bare slits of gold.

"We'll just see about that."

A sharp cry made Quatre peak out from behind Trowa and his face flamed a dark red. Kurama had ducked down and picked up Hiei, tossing the boy over a shoulder where he had to have one very good view of that angrily swishing tail. Hiei seemed to freeze, his voice unusually high.

"Let me go!" Hiei said sharply, his red eyes very wide. "What do you think you're doing...!"

The fox ignored him, carrying him away from the group. Bushes rose up, cutting off his view of many stunned faces staring after them.

A few seconds passed before Yusuke let out a howl of laughter, Kuwabara joining him on the ground as the two broke down.

"Oh man," Yusuke grinned, holding his stomach. "Did you see his face!"

"I'm never going to forget it," Kuwabara laughed. "I can't wait to tell Yukina about it."

Wufei was still a little stunned, but he smirked at the plants that had grown up to block their view of whatever direction Kurama had taken. "That was interesting," he offered.

"And now we know Quatre is capable of controlling an S class mutant," Heero put in.

He was more confused than amused, but he nodded at Trowa. Quatre had his face hidden against the boy's back, so he couldn't catch the boy's eyes.

"I can't believe I did that..." Quatre moaned, hiding his hot face against Trowa. "He's never going to forgive me for that."

"Ah, don't worry about it," Yusuke laughed. "He didn't blame you or he'd have carried you off and not Hiei. Man, what I wouldn't give to see what Kurama's planning to do to him. For a second there I thought he was going to spank him."

Kuwabara fell over onto his back, laughing so hard he nearly bit his tongue. "The chibi's small enough, too!"

Yusuke sighed, still smiling broadly. He caught Wufei's eyes and winked at him. "I bet they had a fight earlier. That would explain why Kurama was acting funny, and why Hiei was taunting him. Now they're off to have wild make-up sex!"

The boy let out a peal of laughter and Kuwabara paled, his face tinting just a bit green. "Oi...d-don't say that...!"

"Anyway," Yusuke said, gasping a bit as he wiped his eyes. "I doubt we'll be seeing them for a while. You guys planning to head back to the school? We could show you some of the paths that are close to town. There's not much to see, but it gives you something to do around here."

Wufei looked over at the others and Heero shrugged. "I don't see why not."

-

The immediate shock of being grabbed up gave way to amusement after a few silent moments. Hiei didn't bother to struggle, though it wasn't exactly comfortable hanging over Kurama's shoulder. He caught a hand in the fox's silver hair and tugged, grinning as he stared up at those fur-lined ears. They were flat against Kurama's head, as angry as that slashing tail was.

"Don't make me hurt you," Hiei taunted.

Kurama tossed his head, his arm tightening around Hiei's waist to hold him in place. "As if you would," he sneered.

He glared at the foliage around them, willing the bushes and grass to get out of his way. The plantlife complied posthaste, his embarrassed anger spurring them on. Within seconds there was a small clearing opened in front of him and he crouched, dropping his load unceremoniously. Hiei blinked when he landed on his back, but he didn't look the least bit intimidated at having Kurama loom over him.

"You'd scratch your own eyes out before you'd hurt me," Kurama sniffed. "Embarrass me? Sure. Drive me crazy? Absolutely. But hurt me?"

Kurama rolled his eyes and leaned closer to glare at Hiei's taunting smirk. "Find a better threat."

"What's the matter?" Hiei drawled, his red eyes glittering up at the fuming fox. "You make a good kitsune. That bark sounded almost natural. And you wagged your tail just like a happy pup."

A soft growl started in Kurama's throat and he glared darker, feeling the thick fur of his tail bristle. "You're really asking for it, Hiei..."

"Really." Hiei gave a dark grin and raised an eyebrow. That growl was almost enough to make him break into laughter again. He settled for a quite chuckle. "Are you angry, then? You said I'd never seen you angry."

"You're seeing it now," Kurama growled. "I can't believe you'd do something like that!"

The outrage did it more than anything. Hiei laughed, flicking one of those flattened ears as he grinned. "If I scratch your ear, will you wag your tail again?"

"Hiei..."

"If this is as scary as you get when you're angry, it's not much." Those narrow golden eyes were blazing at him, but Hiei knew Kurama wouldn't dare lash out. Knowing he couldn't do a thing about it made infuriating him that much more fun.

"Back up," Hiei taunted, pushing on Kurama's chest. "If you start licking my face, I'll choke to death on my own laughter."

With a sharp breath that hissed as it passed his clenched teeth, Kurama shoved him back down. The image Hiei's words brought to mind was more than his wounded pride could take. And he could think of one way, only one way to shut the boy up without hitting him. His eyes locked on that grinning, taunting mouth.

The speed surprised Hiei, along with the unexpected push. His first thought was that Kurama really planned to lick his face, and he froze in honest shock. A hand caught in his hair, another gripping his chin. He held his breath, watching Kurama duck toward him until their mouths touched. His hands twitched twice during that suffocating kiss, but he was too stunned to offer any real response.

Reality crashed down mere seconds later. The heated anger that had spurred Kurama on was doused in an icy rush. It was the taste. That heady scent he'd enjoyed in the past, burying his face in Hiei's thick hair - given flavor, fluid heat. Kurama reeled away, his face pasty white as he caught sight of Hiei's expression.

Those wide red eyes were dazed, confused, uncertain, but not the least bit accusatory. If anything could make him more disgusted by his actions, it was that wary look from someone who trusted him. Hiei didn't move, lying still where he'd pressed him down.

Pushing back to put more distance between them, Kurama shifted to his normal form. Some part of him was hoping that would put Hiei at ease, and it made him feel more vulnerable - less like an attacker.

"I'm sorry," Kurama said quickly. "I didn't mean to do that."

Hiei blinked slowly, his arm moving to edge him upward into a seated position. He didn't think Kurama would attack him if he moved too quickly, but he had an idea any sudden movement would startle the redhead. The fox looked skittish, far too pale, and those wide green eyes were stricken. He almost looked afraid. Hiei didn't know what to make of that any more than he knew why Kurama would kiss him. It had been a kiss, he was sure of that much. But the fox had been angry, furious - he'd purposely taunted him to make him as angry as possible. So why had he kissed him instead of lashing out? And why did he look like that?

"Hiei...?" Red eyes flicked to him, and Kurama winced, not quite ducking away. "Say something? I'm really sorry for doing that. I never meant to - to push anything on you, I swear I didn't."

That was it. Hiei blinked, his eyes widening suddenly. Kurama was worried because he expected some sort of retaliation. Hiei sniffed, rolling his eyes and curling his legs into a more relaxed pose.

"Baka," Hiei drawled. "Stop looking at me as if I'll hurt you for it." Kurama blinked at him, and he shrugged, licking his lips and giving the fox a light smirk. "It didn't hurt."

"No," Kurama sighed. He folded his arms over his chest, glaring down at them. "But I shouldn't have done that - especially not like that."

"You feel guilty?" Hiei asked. He raised an eyebrow when his friend didn't look at him, a slight nod his only answer. "Do you consider that an attack, then?"

Kurama winced again and lifted dark eyes. "I did it because I couldn't attack you and I wanted to do something to get you back for taunting me like that. But I shouldn't have done it. You were just teasing me - I know that."

"So what do you expect?" Green eyes blinked at him, and Hiei tilted his head. "Do you think I'm going to retaliate?"

"You should," Kurama nodded. He knew Hiei wouldn't, but he would feel better if he did. Seducing his friend was one thing, attacking him out of anger was unforgivable. "I wouldn't blame you if you did."

"Will you stop looking at me like that if I do?"

Kurama's eyes widened and he almost jumped back when Hiei disappeared in a dim blur of speed. The small teen was abruptly in front of him and he gulped, fighting to keep his muscles from reacting. "Hiei?"

"Will you?" Hiei asked again, frowning at those stricken eyes.

"Will I what?"

Hiei rolled his eyes, scowling at the fox. "Stop looking at me like you expect me to hurt you."

What had he started? Kurama blinked wary eyes at Hiei, not sure how to answer that question. He'd never expected Hiei to hurt him, he'd only hoped he might - that Hiei would do something so they could put this behind them. He couldn't assuage his guilt without some sort of retaliation.

The continued silence was nearly as bad as having Kurama look at him like that. Hiei let out an impatient sigh and caught hold of those long red forelocks. He pulled the fox's head back just enough to repeat what Kurama had done to him.

Sanity snapped into a dozen pieces and Kurama felt as if his eyes were going to fall out of his head. The kiss he'd given Hiei had been a probing, suffocating violation, venting all of his pent-up frustration and teenage hormones. This was an exact replica, only it made his nerves tingle and his mind shut down. He nearly collapsed when Hiei released him, a stunned gasp passing his numb lips.

"Hiei..."

Glittering green eyes stared at him, and Hiei smirked as he took a slow step back. "That was simple enough."

Kurama continued to stare dazedly at him but Hiei could see the color returning to the teen's face, that stricken expression replaced with a stunned, almost happy one. It was a definite improvement. Now if he could just get what he'd been trying to encourage earlier.

"You know," Hiei commented, stepping further from the redhead, "you taste the same in both forms. I thought the kitsune form would taste more like an animal than this one."

Heat rushed to Kurama's cheeks and he gaped. Hiei was teasing him again! How could he tease him about this?

"You really are a fox, no matter what you look like." Hiei smirked as he watched that embarrassed flush darken Kurama's cheeks. This was more like it - tormenting the fox was fun so long as he didn't really get angry.

Kurama took a calming breath as he got to his feet, not sure whether he wanted to respond to Hiei or not. What did his friend want, a repeat performance? "Hiei...are you trying to make me angry again?"

"Hn. Not if you get all stupid afterward," Hiei sniffed. "Shift back."

Kurama's eyes widened and he shook his head in exasperation. "Why?"

"Because," Hiei smirked, "I'm going to pull your tail till you stop being an idiot and start fighting. You've been burning for a sparring match since you left this morning."

"Is that why you humiliated me back there!" Kurama bristled, more than a little irritated. It only took a moment to shift, and he was careful to keep his tail well away from the fast mutant. "If you want a match so badly, I'll give you one."

"We'll tear a path straight to the valley if we start here," Hiei smirked. "You go first. I'll give you a head start."

"Do you really expect me to put my back to you?" Kurama raised an eyebrow at Hiei's evil smirk, his tail curving close to the back of his legs. "Touch my tail and die."

"Heh, better start running, then."

Kurama glowered and edged backward, his eyes glittering dangerously. "And you say I was burning for a fight. You've been taunting me all along."

"We do have that much in common."

Hiei grinned and darted at the fox, his sword flashing into his hand as a swarm of vines shot up to block him from his target. He caught a flash of silver as Kurama high-tailed it out of the clearing, literally. He'd give Kurama a head-start, but it wouldn't be a big one. The more he riled the kitsune on the way to the valley, the more fun he'd have when the actual fight started. There was nothing more enjoyable and exhilarating than fighting Kurama.

-

The others had gone back into town, Yusuke promising to show them the arcade - which Kuwabara swore was the only worthwhile building in the town. Trowa and Quatre had let them go, choosing to walk the cleared paths at the edge of the forest. It was actually a peaceful wood, not too many birds and only a hint of rustling in the underbrush from whatever wildlife lived there. Their quiet words almost melded into the calm nature around them.

Since Quatre had been the first to note how little they knew about each other, he took the time to tell more about himself. His life hadn't been very exciting, being the only son in a very large and wealthy family. His father had been something of a tycoon, strict and domineering. And though Trowa didn't seem to believe him, Quatre couldn't emphasize enough how rotten he'd been as a child. Rebellious was the description that fit him best. He hadn't settled until his father's death. After that he'd left his sisters, and discovered his talent amid the welcome protection of the Maguanacs.

"I don't think I would ever have valued myself if it weren't for them," Quatre sighed. "Rashid put up with me for months before he finally knocked some sense into me."

Trowa raised an eyebrow at the boy, noting the emphasis Quatre had placed on a certain word. "Knocked?"

A light blush marred Quatre's cheeks, and he ducked his head, giving a weak smile. "He slapped me so hard my face was bruised for nearly two weeks. But I needed it. My father never touched me or yelled at me. Being ignored, when you're acting out just to get attention...that doesn't lead anywhere. Rashid knew that."

"I can't believe he'd hit you," Trowa said. He remembered Rashid, and the size difference alone was enough to make him wonder about the man's sanity. "How old were you?"

"Eleven. But I was talking about killing myself - I didn't know what to do after my father died." Quatre shot a guilty look up at Trowa, wincing at the boy's shocked expression. "I was drifting, you see? Everything seemed so pointless. He gave me a purpose in his base, let me help them with their fights. They wouldn't risk me in the actual battles, but I helped as much as I could. After a while, I started to believe them when they thanked me. It was like finding a place for myself - somewhere that I could make a difference. That's why I wanted to help Heero. I wanted to try and do something without the Maguanacs, something only I could do. Being a mutant lets me do that."

"Did you know about mutants when you were younger?" Trowa asked. "I'd never heard anything about them except when one popped up now and then. I didn't even know that OZ was getting rid of mutants until I met you and started wondering about others like us. I had no idea there were so many mutant spread out in the world. OZ did too good a job keeping them quiet."

"The Maguanacs told me about some of the mutants they'd heard about," Quatre said. "When they found out I was a mutant, they tried to reassure me that it wasn't a bad thing. Only they noticed that most of the mutants identified on the news and in reports disappeared afterward - they downplayed it for me, but they kept me hidden because of that. They were worried about losing me if OZ found out what sort of talent I had."

Trowa nodded, his eyes flashing a bit. "I know. That's how I found out about OZ - why I decided to wager my own attacks on them. I read some of the things your friends were thinking, how they were worried about you. It gave me something to focus on, having an enemy. Otherwise I don't know what I would have done with myself. I spent most of my time just sitting in the forest watching your base. The only time I risked leaving was to attack OZ, and I didn't want to be gone for too long. I didn't know how long I could go without having you nearby."

"What did you do before you found me?" Quatre asked, his eyes wide. "Did your talent emerge slowly, or was it like Duo's - uncontrolled and sudden?"

"Sudden," Trowa said, "very sudden. I had no idea I was a mutant up until the moment it emerged. I was an orphan, just another nameless face. I don't remember anything of my parents, but I was raised by a number of drug-runners. The name I use now, I took from one of them after I left."

A light pull on his arm told him Quatre had stopped walking, and Trowa gave a soft smile to the boy's concerned eyes. "It's all right," Trowa said, "I didn't know anything else. I think if you're raised a certain way, you take that life for granted. The things I've seen would have torn you apart, but I'd been seeing them for as long as I could remember - I just took that as the way life was. Murder, addiction, hate, no one caring about anyone but himself, when it's all you've known you don't think about it being bad or good, it just is. That's just the way things are."

"I can't believe I complained about my childhood," Quatre said, his eyes on the ground. "Looking at you, you haven't let anything effect you - you're one of the nicest people I've ever met."

"I wasn't back then," Trowa smirked.

He turned Quatre, placing a warm arm over the boy's shoulders as he prodded him to continue their walk.

"I didn't speak as a child. I don't think I really learned to talk until I was eight or nine at the oldest. I didn't care about anyone but myself, and even then, I didn't care much about me, either. Watching you is what really brought me out - I wanted to be one of those men you had around you. Someone who could say what he thought without wondering if anyone wanted to hear it.

"Once I set my mind on fighting OZ in order to protect you, and myself, and mutants everywhere, I set my past behind me. It gave me a clean slate. When I found you I was too far gone to even know where I was going, or to care. I snapped and ran, that's how I ended up by your base. I was fleeing, just flying without really seeing anything around me. And I felt it as I passed by - someone soothing, calm, powerful but reserved. Your talent could let you rule mutants, control anyone no matter how powerful. But you kept it in check. That broke through to me, that control, the peace you had around you. So I stayed."

Trowa pulled him closer, one hand reaching up to brush at Quatre's pale blonde hair. "You might say that you saved my life," he said. "And you didn't even have to hit me."

A hot blush swamped over Quatre's face, but he smiled through it. "That's why you said it was fate that we met..."

"Exactly."

-

Duo woke to movement where he'd expected none. It was the first night he'd slept alone in a long time, but his mind hadn't forgotten old habits. Where he'd grown accustomed to being prodded and shaken awake, now he slipped back into his former half-aware sleep state. That slight movement, as if a hand had pressed the mattress, was enough to make him roll away with blurry, but wide eyes. "Who-"

"Why here?" Heero's voice was blank of anything, his steady eyes taking in every skittish flicker that passed over Duo's face. He'd known when Duo disappeared and didn't come back for lunch - he was avoiding him. But there wasn't time for that.

"Here...?" Duo repeated, frowning in confusion. His gaze shifted around the empty room, eyes widening as he remembered where he was. He immediately tensed and frowned at the boy standing so calmly next to his bed. "How did you get in? And how did you know I'd be here?"

"I picked the lock," Heero admitted. "You aren't the only one with that skill. And there wasn't anywhere else you'd have gone." He shot a sharp look at Duo before sitting on the edge of the bed. "If you'd gone to Wufei, I'd have to kill him. Quatre's room is the only other place you'd have gone since you know he doesn't sleep in here. But why here? Are you that mad at me?"

"Yes," Duo sniffed. He resisted an urge to get out of the bed, reminding himself that this was his room now. Heero was the one who needed to get out. "Go away."

"Don't be angry with me tonight. You can be angry tomorrow, or the day after, but not tonight."

That was as bad as having Heero put off that argument the night before. Duo scowled at him. "Who are you, Scarlett O'Hara? Tomorrow's another day? I'm angry with you now and I'm not going to forget about it just because you tell me to. What, do you think I'm going to be all lovey-dovey with you at night, then avoid you during the daytime?"

"I didn't want you to avoid me at all," Heero said. "What I said, I had to say. It couldn't wait. I don't want to worry about you when you work on your talent."

"Fine," Duo glared. "So you don't have to worry about it. Now go away. You have a room, this one's mine."

Heero stared for a long moment before folding his arms over his chest. Holding Duo's eyes, he kicked off his shoes. "I'm not going anywhere."

Duo groaned and shoved off the bed, scowling as he tried to find his own shoes in the dark. "Then I'll go downstairs and see if I can bunk with Kurama and Hiei - I'd like to see you try to kill them."

"Duo." The boy stalked past him, no doubt having given up on his shoes, and Heero caught his wrist. Despite Duo's tense anger, he was far stronger. He pulled him back so he could wrap an arm around Duo's waist. "I don't want you to go somewhere else."

"Do I care what you want!" Duo struggled, his head craning around to glare back at Heero. "Let go. You were the one who started this by calling me stupid for using my powers - do you really want me to teleport just so I can get away from you?"

"I was worried about you," Heero murmured. He ignored Duo's protests, pulling him closer so he could duck his face against the boy's braid. "Does it make you so mad to know I worry?"

"Don't be stupid," Duo sniffed. Trying to pull away from Heero wasn't working very well, so he stiffened his muscles instead, keeping his back absolutely straight. "I'm mad because you yelled at me when I didn't deserve it. You treated me like an idiot and wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise."

Heero nodded against Duo's back, his voice muffled. "I didn't want you to interrupt until I was finished. It wasn't something I wanted to have to say to you again. I knew if I made it harsh, you wouldn't forget it."

"Well, you managed that just fine!" Duo scowled down at the hand that was rubbing light circles over his stomach. "And stop that! I'm angry with you - you aren't getting any."

A slight laugh jerked at Heero's chest, but he smothered it, sufficing in a tight smile. "I am a little glad that you're angry with me," he offered. "I was afraid you might be hurt instead."

"Hah." Duo rolled his eyes, dismissing that even though it struck a nerve - Heero had hurt his feelings, but he wasn't about to admit it. "Just because you were being insensitive and unreasonable, that doesn't mean I'd let it get to me."

"Was I being unreasonable?" Heero asked, his voice soft. He'd released Duo's wrist a minute ago and he shifted that hand, curving it around the boy's shoulders so he could rub the back of Duo's tense neck. "I didn't mean to be."

"Well you were. Do you really think I would have kept pushing my talent if I had any idea I'd end up feeling like hell afterward? I've spent an entire year being invisible the entire time - how was I supposed to know a few hours of effort would make me tired like that? And then I get you yelling at me for it, like I did it on purpose! Jerk."

"I'm sorry if I was unreasonable," Heero said, "I just didn't want you to take risks. I don't want to worry about you."

"Yeah," Duo sighed, "I know. You said that already. But what am I supposed to do, just stop using my talent altogether? I didn't have any warning that I was at my limit."

"Not altogether," Heero murmured, his fingers pressing a warm line along Duo's collarbone. "Just take it slow, test it out, don't press a single task until it's complete, do it in test runs. And don't use your talents for a few days at least. You'll need some time to regain your strength. I know you wouldn't want to have Kuwabara and Yukina use more of their energy if you overexert yourself."

"I wasn't planning to do anything for a while," Duo grumbled. "I'm not stupid, you know."

"Of course I know."

Soft warmth pressed along Duo's neck, lips trailing his jaw. Duo straightened, his left eyebrow twitching suddenly. "Heero."

"Mm?"

"I thought I told you that you weren't getting any."

"I'll change your mind," Heero smirked, easing his captive back toward the bed. "Don't worry, you can still be mad at me if you want. Your eyes are beautiful when you're angry."

Duo's face fell into a droll look as he found himself half carried backward, his feet barely brushing the carpet. "And what if I protest?"

"Then I'll tickle you till you cave." A resigned sigh sounded near him and Heero smirked wider. With a quick twist, he tossed Duo onto the bed, a bit of speed letting him keep the boy there. "You're very ticklish."

"You're not always going to get your way," Duo warned, his eyebrow still twitching a bit at Heero's smug expression.

"Just tonight," Heero whispered, his eyes glinting with humor. "After all, tomorrow is another day."

Duo's face jerked for a second before he cracked, a soft laugh making its way free. "You idiot."

-  
TBC


	31. Broken Ties

This Part: Majority focus on Zechs-Wufei and Heero-Duo.

Category: Anime, Yaoi, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho  
Warnings: shonen ai, possible humor, minor(?) angst  
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, KuramaxHiei, will be 6x5  
Author: Arigatomina

**Gmen**

_Part 31: Broken Ties_

Wufei woke early, his sleep disturbed by a dream he couldn't remember. As with other nights, it was the sort of dream that distressed him even though the details escaped him. He was left sitting awake, watching shadows with unease and restlessness. In the past the dreams had been the main cause for his early rising, but he hadn't had one in some time. He could only hope this was an isolated incident.

Since he was already wide awake, he decided to dress and exercise. Kurama's training aside, he hadn't done anything physical in so long he was certain his instincts had gone lax. He might have been exhausted from using his mutant talent, but that was more of a strain on his heart than a real physical problem. His breathing was too erratic when he was in the midst of controlling the elements. It left him breathless and heady, a centralized weakness that affected his entire body. Not enough oxygen, pure and simple.

But using his talent, cardiovascular exercise aside, had nothing to do with working his body. A few quick stretches in the middle of his dark bedroom told him it was time to add a new routine to this training.

What he wanted most to was to go downstairs and see if there really were weapons in one of those rooms, and if so, to challenge the first sword-user he could find. He was fairly certain Hiei would snort in his face if he challenged him, assuming the boy didn't laugh outright. Kurama would probably go for it, though, or even Kuwabara if it came to that.

Wufei didn't really care at this point. An hour of what would have been a warm-up two months ago, and he was ready to take a break. Just feeling the light burn in his calves made him sneer down at himself. With all the focus on mutant talents and powers of the mind, he hadn't thought much about the hiking he'd done regularly, his nightly partnerless sparring matches.

He fumed at himself for a while, then checked his clock again. Six thirty.

Chances were Zechs was up by now, and if the others kept their routine, they'd be trailing down in an hour or so.

Wufei caught a jacket as he left his room, fully intent on taking a run before doing any 'mind-oriented' mutant training. Mutant abilities were fine, but without a functioning body to hold them, they meant nothing.

He reminded himself of that as he walked the dark halls. The thought of being worn when he started practicing his talent was more daunting than he cared to admit.

The front hall was lit when he exited the stairs, making him pause just outside the stairwell. As far as he knew, no one turned on the lights until seven at the earliest, when students started to head down in more than a trickle.

The bright glare overhead was a stark contrast to the dim predawn outside the wide windows. He didn't like it. The change struck him as a warning that made his eyes narrow as he exited the stairwell.

Since he was expecting something already, he wasn't surprised to see a small group of students standing just outside the cafeteria. One of them glanced back as he approached, giving him a quick look-over before turning his attention back to the doorway.

Wufei found himself stopping for a brief moment to acknowledge the small part of him that noted this student as one he'd never seen before. Not that he paid much attention to the students, but he was certain he'd have noticed the boy's bright green hair if he'd seen him in the halls. It was as striking as the prominent scar on the teen's cheek. The other students with the boy were also unfamiliar.

New comers? That would certainly explain why the light was on.

Stepping closer to the little group, Wufei frowned at the way they were blocking the cafeteria. He opened his mouth to ask them to move – in or out – when one of the girls jumped back. She bumped into him with enough force that Wufei stumbled and almost fell. The others moved back at the same time, but the boy caught both Wufei and the girl, drawing them off to the side.

Just as Wufei was about to tell the boy to let go of his wrist, someone came stalking out of the cafeteria. Wufei's mouth snapped closed and his eyes widened in surprise.

It was Kuwabara. But the boy was angrier than Wufei had ever seen him, that golden energy of his fairly crackling around him as he walked past without so much as a glance in their direction.

The group of new students gave him a wide birth, watching in silence until the boy disappeared into the stairwell. Then the greenhaired boy released Wufei, turning to give him a friendly smile.

"Nice school you have here," he said. "First there aren't any guards or teachers or anyone to ask for directions, then the place is so dark you can't see the walls, and for the finale we get greeted with a fight five minutes after we find the light switch. Not very organized."

All of that was given with a teasing, overly familiar, tone that made Wufei just a bit uneasy. He glanced from the boy to the three girls with him, noting that two of them had the same sort of friendly smile, while the third, a snobbish looking girl with long light blue hair, was raising an eyebrow in open disdain. He didn't know what to say to them.

"I'm new myself," Wufei offered.

"In other words, you don't have any excuses to give," the blue-haired girl sniffed.

"Do students always fight like that?" the brown-haired girl asked, her bright green eyes visibly concerned. "It isn't at all safe."

"And not fair, either," the third girl frowned. She waved a hand toward the stairwell Kuwabara had gone into. "Since when does a mutant attack someone who can't defend himself? That's not even sporting! What kind of coward would just-"

Wufei took a quick step back, blinking in surprise at the girl's outraged expression.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he said quickly. "Was Kuwabara fighting?"

"You mean the guy who just stormed out?" the boy asked, now giving a wry smile.

Wufei nodded and the fiery redhead glared at him, making him edge away again. He didn't know how to react to being cornered by a girl nearly a head shorter who looked as if she wanted nothing more than to pound him.

"It wasn't a fight," she scowled. "A fight has two participants."

The brownhaired girl move forward, laying a light hand on the other girl's shoulder. "He didn't see it," she said, her tone placating. She turned those wide green eyes up on Wufei and flashed him a soft smile. "We're looking for the person in charge here. Relena Peacecraft? Or whoever usually greets new students. It's been a long trip, and we're all a little on edge."

"You're not," the green-haired boy smiled.

The girl gave a cute scowl, a light blush marring her cheeks, and Wufei managed a quick smile.

"Relena's office is upstairs," said Wufei. "But I doubt she's awake. I don't know who else to send you-"

The door to the stairwell was thrown open suddenly, and Wufei cut off his words. His gaze turned, then fell to the small girl who stood breathless across from them. Yukina's face was very pale, making her eyes seem that much darker. But she was just the person Wufei wanted to see.

Nodding to the group of new students, Wufei moved over to greet Yukina. "They just go here," he told her. "I don't know how you usually treat new students so I'm glad to see you."

Yukina sent a confused look up at him, then her eyes darted toward the cafeteria. "I heard..."

"You do show new students around," Wufei said slowly, "don't you?"

"Yes," said Yukina, her eyes still on the doorwary, "but I heard..."

The girl was obviously distracted, and Wufei's eyes widened suddenly. "Kuwabara. I'm not sure what happened, but if you're looking for him, he just went upstairs."

Yukina gave a sharp frown, the expression odd on her normally sweet face. "I know."

The new students were exchanging glances with each other, and Yukina sighed. She managed a very small smile as she nodded politely to them.

"I will be happy to show you around," she said. "If you'll just wait here, I'll be back in a few minutes."

With that, she turned and darted off. The students stared at the place where she'd been a moment before, Wufei just as surprised. Then he shook it off, reminding himself that she was Hiei's sister so speed could have been a shared trait. Giving his own nod to the group, Wufei followed after her.

Any thought of the new students was shoved aside the moment Wufei stepped into the cafeteria. There were chairs strewn all over the place, two of the long tables lying on their backs, one of them broken clean through the middle. And Yusuke and Zechs were in the middle of it, backs to the door as they righted one of the overturned tables. Wufei reached the pair a moment after Yukina did.

"What happened?" asked Wufei.

"I am so sorry," Yukina said at the same moment. "I had no idea he would do such a thing."

Yusuke was the first to turn, and he sent a wide-eyed look from Yukina to the cafeteria entrance.

"I really don't think you should be down here," he said quickly, flashing the girl a wary smile. "If he comes back and sees you with Zechs they'll have to start all over again. Took him forever to convince the baka you two weren't doing anything together."

"I'm still not sure he believed it," Zechs muttered.

He sighed and turned around, sending a wry smile to Wufei's wide eyes. Following the boy's gaze, he brushed a hand over his temple and smirked at the blood on his palm.

"I've never been much for fist fights."

"Nope," Yusuke smirked, "but at least you know how to block. I'm pretty sure he wanted to mess up your face more than anything."

"Wait," Wufei said sharply. "Did Kuwabara attack you?"

"Because of me," said Yukina. She stared up at Zechs with dark, sad eyes. "I never imagined he would do that. He had no reason to...to..."

Zechs shook his head, flashing the girl a quick, though weak, smile. "He had reason. I knew that was your private place the moment I saw you there. I should have left immediately."

"I asked you to stay," Yukina argued. "And it's only private because no one chooses to visit me there. I...enjoyed your company..."

Wufei was sending wide-eyed looks between the two, and Yusuke let out a quick laugh. Crossing to the dark-haired boy, he shook his head with a wide smile.

"Don't you get the wrong idea, too," Yusuke teased. "It seems these two had a little meeting the other night and Kuwabara got wind of it. Sounded pretty incriminating, so the baka went ballistic. Had to defend Yukina's honor, after all."

The boy said it as if it were silly and funny in retrospect. Zechs shot him a light frown.

"You believed it as well," Zechs reminded him coolly.

Yusuke flushed a bit and shrugged quickly. "Only at first. I don't know you. You hide things."

"Doesn't everyone?"

"Maybe," Yusuke said, his voice soft and sober. "But you hide more than any of your friends. You're different."

Wufei sent him a sharp look, and Zechs sighed. With a quick nod to Yukina, he gestured to the mess around them.

"Don't worry about this," he told her. "Kuwabara and I have settled the problem. Now I need to pick this place up before the rest of the students file down and find it a disaster area."

With a pointed look at Yusuke, Zechs raised an eyebrow. "Do you still plan to help?"

Yusuke returned the stare for a long moment before giving in.

"Yeah," he sighed, "I might as well. I didn't let you get a word in edgewise, so that makes me as much to blame as Kuwabara. But just keep in mind that if I'd really believed you had done that to Yukina...you wouldn't be standing there right now."

The two moved back to the remaining upended table, and Wufei followed. He placed a tight damper on the questions in his mind and focused himself on the chairs that littered the floor. It wasn't until he passed the broken table, which was spotted with blood, that his patience snapped.

"Did he throw you on that!"

Yusuke let out a sharp laugh that made Yukina frown at him, while Zechs gave him an embarrassed smile.

"Yep," Yusuke said cheerfully. "Where do you think he got the cut? Pretty resistant for someone without any physical talents."

"You don't need mutant talents to duck and block," Zechs said wryly. "But I doubt I'd have survived long if he hadn't listened to reason when he did. He's a lot stronger when he's angry."

"Good point there," mused Yusuke. "I might just have to sneak up to Yukina's watchroom some night – see how Kuwa holds in a fight when he's really pissed. Who knows? He might actually be a challenge that way."

Yukina edged forward, confusion marrying her brow as she stared intently up at Zechs. "You're not upset? Are you in pain? If there's anything I can-"

"I'm fine," said Zechs. He gave the girl a quick smile. "And no, I'm not upset. Kuwabara cares a great deal about you, and he knows nothing about me. There was no way for him to know that I hadn't taken advantage of you. All he did was what Hiei would have done in his place – protect you."

Wufei noticed that the mere mention of Hiei's name was enough to halt Yukina. He had an idea Zechs shouldn't have brought him into the conversation. Because now that he thought about it, she hadn't seen her brother since the six of them had come to the school – not since that first day after his match with Kurama.

Color was returning to Yukina's face, but she was still pale when she took a slow step back.

"I should see to the new students," she said softly. "I apologize again for what happened here. I hope you..."

Though he didn't read the girl's thoughts, Zechs could see her hesitation. He shook his head.

"I won't hold it against you, or avoid you. If anything, I'm envious. You have two people who care about nothing more than seeing to your welfare. Don't stay upset with Kuwabara because he protected you from the wrong person. He had good intentions."

"He's very...rash," Yukina whispered.

Now there was a light flush rising to her cheeks, making her downcast eyes seem to sparkle.

"Im-impetuous. But..."

"I know," Zechs smiled. "You don't have to say it."

Yukina gave a shy look at him before nodding to Wufei and Yusuke. She then turned and headed for the exit, where four curious faces were peaking into the room.

The new students straightened when they saw her approaching, the boy waving a hand at Wufei before they all filed off after the small girl.

The moment they were out of sight, Wufei heaved a sigh at the mess. "What do you two plan to do with the broken table?"

"Toss it over there," Yusuke grinned, "next to the wall. I figure someone will pick it up later."

"I'll help," Wufei said to Zechs. "You should wash that cut. Can you heal it?"

Zechs smirked and shook his head, fingering a bit of his hair that had clotted with the dripping blood. "I can't see it. But it's not deep."

"It's a good thing you rolled when you landed," Yusuke put in cheerfully. "He was trying to break your face."

"I did notice that," said Zechs. He sent a droll look at the happy boy.

"Yeah," Yusuke shrugged. "But it's neat that you can heal yourself. Yukina can heal other people, but not herself."

Wufei frowned, shooting a sharp look at Zechs. "Have you been practicing at self healing, then?"

"Some," said Zechs. "As long as I can see it, I can heal it. I didn't think I'd be able to heal anything serious, but with an arm or leg, it's not much different from healing someone else." He smirked wryly. "It just hurts more."

"The burn?"

"That, too."

Yusuke laughed, shaking his head at Zechs' dismissive tone. "You really play it off, don't you."

He sent a confiding look at Wufei. "He winced more when he was healing his arms, than he did when Kuwabara was breaking them."

Wufei's eyes widened. "Brea-"

"When it comes to physical strength," Zechs cut in, his expression more than a little irritated, "I may as well not be a mutant."

"I wasn't insulting you," Yusuke said quickly. "You blocked well. But there's no point pretending you stood a chance when you didn't. You're just not a fighter. That's the way talents work – no insult in the truth."

"Right," Zechs scowled.

Together the three of them had the place set as straight as possibly within the next half hour. It was still obvious that something had happened, what with the broken table and a few dozen chairs piled up along the far wall. But it was habitable again.

Zechs left to clean up as soon as they were finished. Though the cut on his temple wasn't deep, it had streaked down to mix with his pale hair. Sticky and striking. He promised to be back as quickly as possible, so he'd be able to meet with the others when they came down.

Yusuke watched as Zechs left the room, waiting a few long minutes before turning bright eyes on Wufei. The black-haired boy blinked back at him.

"Well?" Yusuke prodded.

"Well, what?"

"Aren't you going to ask how the fight went down?"

Wufei frowned, his eyes darting to the side. He didn't really want to know. The idea of Zechs fighting Kuwabara was comparable to Kuwabara facing Hiei – no contest.

"He lost," said Wufei, "and they're both fine now, so it doesn't matter."

"Right," Yusuke drawled. "And I'm sure you're not curious how long your friend lasted before he...lost. Not that I'd consider it a loss since he didn't fight back. He's the type that would be more comfortable in a formal duel. Too bad Kuwabara doesn't have the patience for that sort of thing. I guess Peacecrafts really aren't big on street fights."

"Did you really think Zechs would have dishonored Yukina?"

Yusuke flinched at the cold way that was asked, his face shifting into a sober but warning look.

"How well do you know him?" Yusuke countered. "You didn't even know his age until a few days ago. There's something off about him – Kuwabara noticed it, too."

"He's a mind reader as well as a healer," said Wufei. "That's probably it."

"Oh," Yusuke sniffed, "another secret. Figures. That explains why he was able to talk Kuwabara into listening. But that still doesn't explain the rest."

"Explain what?" Wufei asked, a bit tiredly.

He was uncomfortable with everything that had happened this morning, and Yusuke's distrust of one of their group was the last thing he wanted to deal with right now.

Yusuke frowned, shifting in his seat.

"You know how when someone looks at you from across the room you can feel it? That sensation I told you about the other day? When he looks at me, it doesn't feel right. It's like he's not really there, or not all there. When I feel him looking at me and glance over, it's like what I see isn't what I felt, like he's there but he's not. And Kuwabara says he's as wrong as Hiei is, but in a different way. That's why he was so quick to distrust him. There's just something...wrong about him.

"He's so closed off I can't make sense of it – I can't trust someone I don't know. You know I like to watch people. With him, it's like he has this side he shows and he seems friendly and open, just a little reserved. But it's not real. And none of you seem to have a clue what's really under that. If his own friends don't know, there isn't anything I can learn by watching you."

The teen was putting serious doubts into Wufei's mind, and he shook his head, doing his best to ignore them. This was Zechs they were talking about, not an eccentric S class mutant with an A class twin.

"Trowa is a mindreader," said Wufei. "If there were something...off with him, Trowa would have picked it up. Or Quatre."

"Really?"

Yusuke leaned closer over the table, his dark brown eyes flashing just a bit.

"Why don't you ask them, then? I'd bet anything that not one of you bothered to 'mindread' him. I'd even bet that Yukina knows more about him than any one of you."

Wufei shook his head, his face clouding. Now that Yusuke had planted the seed, thoughts were forming rapidly.

What did they really know about him? He'd been disowned, had been forced to work for OZ, and since meeting with them, had been a helpful friend. But...

Friend? Wufei couldn't think of anyone Zechs confided in, no one he shared a bond with the way he had with Duo, or even Heero and Trowa, who seemed to think alike more often than not. He'd remained isolated from all of them, except...

A memory skirted past him, the safehouse right before they learned of Une. Zechs had seemed open then, with him. It had been an overture as far as Wufei could tell, and he'd been expecting some sort of continuation of that. Only Zechs hadn't said more than two words to him in private since the plane landed. In fact, the longer they'd been here, the more distant Zechs had become. And now that it was laid out in front of him, Wufei thought he understood.

He should have known. This kingdom was the last place in the world that Zechs wanted to be. All jokes about his being heir aside, the place had to be filled with bad memories. And they'd all gone about their own work without noticing that the one who'd brought them here was fading further with each day.

"You know what's funny?" asked Yusuke.

Wufei jerked out of his thoughts, frowning up at the boy. "What?"

"Even though I don't know him well enough to trust him, I still like him. I don't think I've ever so much as tolerated someone I couldn't trust."

Yusuke trailed off when he noticed how blank Wufei's face was, as if the boy wasn't really listening to him. It made him wonder if he should have kept his suspicions to himself. He just couldn't help but warn his new friend. His instincts about people were usually right on the money, and he knew there was a lot more to Zechs than the reserved, oddly modest and mature man he appeared to be. It was almost enough to make him want to ask Relena a few questions. Almost.

The silence held until Zechs returned, and Yusuke made a show of leaving the table before the man could sit down. His manner was teasing, almost overly friendly.

"Nice work on that," Yusuke smirked, waving a hand at the faint scar on Zechs' temple. "No one would ever know you were a mutant punching bag."

"I'd hope not," Zechs returned, his tone dry. "I wouldn't want to ruin my reputation."

"Surprised you let it scar, though. You might try sleeping once in a while. I hear it gives you more energy."

Yusuke had tossed an arm over Zechs' shoulders as he spoke, but kept his voice loud enough so Wufei would hear him.

"It would get rid of those circles under your eyes," Yusuke confided. "And you know what they say...if you don't get enough dream-sleep, you can go insane."

"I'll keep that in mind."

With a grin for the sober man, and a bright wave to Wufei, Yusuke took his leave. He still had to go have a talk with Kuwabara. If he'd had any idea his friend powered up when angry, he'd never have let him attack Zechs in the first place.

Zechs watched the boy leave, then moved to the table, taking a seat across from Wufei. His friend was looking at him with an unusually guarded expression. It made Zechs sigh and drop his chin onto one hand.

"Not you, too," said Zechs.

"You really do have circles under your eyes," Wufei frowned. "I didn't notice."

A very light flush rose to Zechs' face and he looked away, shifting uncomfortably. "I was in a hurry to get back down here, so I didn't think about that."

He sent a wary look at Wufei, an embarrassed smile pulling at his lips. "I did some acting work a few years back. You'd be surprised what a bit of powder can do."

It took a moment, but Wufei's eyes widened once he understood. He couldn't help his surprised laugh.

"Make up! I can't believe that..."

Zechs grinned, shaking his head as he rubbed his hand over one eye. "I only do it when I start looking like a raccoon otherwise. Now that I know I can heal using a mirror, I can probably drop the enhancements. I'd say they count as bruises."

As ridiculous as the discovery was, Wufei found his smile fading after a while. Now that he was really looking, he noticed how pale Zechs was. He really did look tired, drained.

"When's the last time you slept?" asked Wufei.

A surprised look answered his question, and Wufei frowned at Zechs' eyes. They didn't look bloodshot, despite the dark bruises beneath them. If he'd been without sleep, shouldn't they have been at least a little red?

"Two hours ago," Zechs answered, a small frown creasing his brow. "At least I was until Kuwabara came down."

"Down here," Wufei said sharply, his eyes wide. "You were sleeping down here?"

"No!" Zechs gave a quick smile, shaking his head. "No, I just dozed off. I blame the nutmeg."

A very confused expression spread over Wufei's face, and he raised an eyebrow. "Nutmeg?"

"You haven't tried it?" asked Zechs, with an astounded look. "Wait here."

So it was that when the others came down for the day, they found both Wufei and Zechs sipping steaming cups of what looked like brown milk. Duo immediately followed suit, pronouncing it the sweetest – meaning best – drink the cafeteria had offered so far. Heero and Trowa naturally passed it up, though Quatre was willing to try it.

After a few sips of the drink, Quatre was amused to break Duo's happy bubble. "You do realize this has absolutely no caffeine in it, don't you, Duo?"

He hadn't realized any such thing, but Duo was quick to look at the bright side. With a quick proclamation that the sugar would work just as well, he finished his mug with glee.

Heero, who'd been watching his lover's antics with a closed face, took the cup before Duo could refill it. He set it aside and pushed his chair back with a sober expression.

"I have something to tell all of you," he said.

Wufei nodded, his gaze shifting to the broken table that lay conspicuously on the other side of the room. He had something to tell as well, but it could probably wait.

"What is it?" asked Duo.

His mood was an exact opposite of what it had been the morning before. Not only had he and Heero settled their argument, he'd woken up to a very tasty breakfast. Needless to say, he was quite happy with the world. Heero killed that with two little words.

"I'm leaving."

.-.

There was a stunned silence over the table when the students started to spot the room. Duo, who had tried to get insight from the mindreaders with no success, was glaring at everyone. Either Quatre, Trowa, and Zechs had chosen not to probe Heero's mind, or they simply refused to tell him any more than Heero had. He didn't care which it was.

Heero's announcement had been, for lack of a better word, brief. He was leaving. He had no reason to stay while the rest of them worked on their talents, so he was going to get stronger on his own. He'd be back as soon as he could. They should continue their training until then.

That was all. Not a word on where he was going, how he planned to get stronger, why the hell he hadn't bothered to mention sooner that he was leaving, or how he expected his lover to react to this news. He'd made his announcement and left to speak to Kurama, of all people.

Duo was ready to destroy something, and all of the downcast eyes at the table just made it that much worse.

Everything Heero had done or said to him in the last few days was passing through his mind, riddled with hints of this. He knew without a doubt that Heero had been planning to leave. His suspicion of Kurama – he hadn't wanted to leave without making sure he wasn't a threat. His worry about Duo overextending himself – hadn't wanted to worry because he wasn't planning to be around to see for himself. And last night. Last night was the worst.

Two possibilities came to mind for Duo. Heero hadn't wanted to leave with him angry, or he hadn't wanted to spend his last night here alone. Both of the possibilities twisted the wound. Either way, Heero had thought of himself first. He had to have known Duo would be rightfully furious...and hurt. And he hadn't cared.

That thought, more than any, kept Duo from moving. He wouldn't chase after Heero and demand an explanation. He wouldn't go to their room and huddle in the corner of that lonely bed until he drowned in his tears. He wouldn't disappear and go back to the life that didn't involve cold, selfish, militaristic mutants bent only on fulfilling their own agendas. He wouldn't.

Heero could leave, but Duo was staying right here. With his friends. Friends who, at the moment, were looking at everything but him.

Despite his resolve, Duo found himself staring at Quatre. The blonde boy's eyes were cloudy and dark, pain written clearly over his downcast face. Quatre could have explained everything if he'd wanted to. He chose not to. Why?

A set of dark eyes met his suddenly, and Duo jerked back in his seat. Wufei wasn't going to avoid looking at him?

But Wufei couldn't help him. He could see it in his friend's eyes. Wufei had no idea what to say to help him, because there wasn't anything he could say. Only Heero could, and he was...leaving.

Wufei dropped his eyes again, and Duo's breath snagged in his throat.

Could he stay? If none of his friends could so much as look at him, could he handle that? And if he couldn't, what did that leave for him?

His vision blurred, heat and cold alternating over his face until only his eyes and throat burned. He couldn't sit there with them, with them but separate. If they couldn't look at him, he might as well have been invisible again.

Duo shoved his chair back and whirled from the table, blind to the way his friends reacted. His attention locked on the exit, which seemed so far away now. He wouldn't do anything yet. He just couldn't sit there invisible any more. Not when it hurt so much.

A student passed in front of him, knocking his balance back a step, and strong hands caught his arm. Wide dark eyes stared at him, but Duo barely noticed. His sight was damp and blurred too much to make out more than a pale face that wasn't Heero's. He pulled away and left as quickly as his unsteady legs would take him.

Wufei had stood the moment Duo turned from the table. Now he stopped in his tracks, taken back by the stark look on Hiei's face. The young mutant was staring after Duo with an expression he'd never seen on him before. Wide, almost stricken red eyes shifted to Wufei, and he felt an insane urge to comfort Hiei – where he'd been so helpless to comfort Duo.

"What happened...?" asked Hiei.

His voice was so soft Wufei barely heard him. He shook his head, meaning to follow his friend before Duo did something. Something like leaving without a trace.

Hiei stopped him before he'd taken two steps, catching Wufei's wrist in a grip that would leave dark bruises later, and jerking him back around. "Did you do that?"

Outrage mixed with shock, and Wufei glared down at the mutant. "Of course not," he spat. "Heero's leaving. Duo-"

He spoke to thin air. In the time it had taken to say Duo's name, Hiei was already gone.

.-.

It had taken some effort to convince Hiei to let him talk to Kurama alone. Heero was certain that Hiei would never forget that he had been to blame for Zechs reading Kurama. He understood that, but he was grateful that the boy finally conceded. That left him with a chance to talk in private with the mutant he couldn't quite feel comfortable around.

"I have to ask you," said Heero, "if you're aware of Hiei's past. His and Yukina's. Are you aware that OZ is certain to be looking for both of them? And that they probably know exactly where both of them are?"

Kurama wasn't the least bit surprised by the question, but he was curious. He frowned at Heero for a moment before answering.

"Of course OZ knows they're here. But they've known Yukina was here for years. I told you before, the Sanq Kingdom is the safest place for mutants. They wouldn't risk an attack on this country. It would ruin their image with the public."

Heero gave him a sharp frown, and Kurama shook his head.

"I know what you think," said Kurama, "but even if they did decide it was worth the risk, Hiei and I are fully prepared to defend this place. This is Yukina's home. We'd never allow anyone to endanger that."

"I'll have to be satisfied with that," Heero sighed.

He took a long breath, then turned his back, pacing near the windows of the enclosed rest area.

"The reason I ask is because I'm leaving for a while," Heero admitted. "I wanted to make sure you were aware of the risk. But also..."

The boy seemed to be having trouble with what he wanted to say. Kurama waited patiently, his gaze taking in all of the conflict that tried to hide behind those dark blue eyes. Whatever Heero was leaving to do, he wasn't doing it without his share of doubts. And unless Kurama was mistaken, those doubts were waging war against his resolve. He couldn't help but wonder which would win.

"I don't want you to work with Duo anymore," Heero said suddenly, rounding to lock cold midnight blue eyes on Kurama. "He can't tell when he's used too much energy, says there aren't any warnings when that happens, so it's dangerous for him to try tasks like the one you gave him."

"I realize that now," said Kurama, his voice soft but steady. "He's an unusual case, his talent. It seems to take a different level of energy to make things outside him invisible – maybe even a different type of energy. Now that I know, I wouldn't make the same mistake again."

Heero looked away, his teeth gnashing in frustration. He knew it wasn't his place to deny Duo's advancement. Duo had to improve his abilities, and it was his right to improve them as much as he wanted to. But the idea of him suffering another collapse, possibly a fatal one...

"I don't want him using his talents until he's recovered," Heero said quietly. "Even then, he shouldn't try anything dangerous without someone watching him. If I had watched him like I was supposed to have, I would have seen the signs that Duo missed."

"I understand your concern. No, don't get angry. I'm not being presumptuous. I do understand. You're blaming yourself, but part of you is also blaming me."

Kurama gave a tight, joyless smile.

"You're right to blame me," he said. "If Duo asks me to help him, I won't turn him away. But I promise I won't help him without taking every precaution. I never make the same mistake twice, Heero. Never."

There was an old glint of steel in those green eyes that Heero recognized, something that struck a cord in him. Suddenly he knew why he'd distrusted Kurama on sight. They were more alike than he'd realized. Yes, the redhead had Duo's form of openness, but that was only one layer. Beneath, they shared a similar resolve.

"And besides me," Kurama said suddenly, his voice shifting to a light teasingly happy tone that threw Heero completely off guard. "I'm sure Hiei would be more than happy to take Duo under his protection until you get back."

Heero's eyebrow twitched, and he was instantly suspicious. "I don't think that will be necessary," he said tightly.

Kurama smirked and placed a friendly hand on the boy's stiff shoulder, patting his back. "Don't you worry about Hiei. He'll treat Duo with the same regard he does Yukina – protection only. I wouldn't let it get any closer than that, even if Hiei had a mind to."

A long look into those glittering, teasing green eyes, and Heero was wondering if he'd imagined that glint he'd seen before. Kurama wasn't just a person with a mask, he shifted from one mood to another in a heartbeat. But he recognized the promise in those words. Kurama was as possessive of Hiei as Heero was of Duo. Despite their differences, they had that much in common.

The others were still at the table when Heero came back up to the cafeteria. He wasn't surprised to find Duo's seat empty, and he wasted no time with a drawn out goodbye. He'd be back in a few days, weeks at the most. One way or another, he wouldn't be gone for longer than that.

From there, he went straight to his room. The door was open to the hall, but inside was empty.

Some part of him cringed as he stepped into the dark bedroom, wincing away. Duo wasn't going to see him off.

He hadn't expected him to, honestly. He'd just hoped maybe he would, if only to try and get more information out of him, maybe try to talk him out of going. Maybe hug him one last time...just in case things went badly and he couldn't come back...?

Maybe cry?

He didn't want that. As cold as he felt packing his laptop in that silent, dead room, Heero knew he didn't want to see Duo hurt, even if it meant not seeing him at all. And he was certain this would be less painful for both of them. It was the very reason he hadn't mentioned his plans sooner. He'd known it would fester until Duo was driven crazy by it, till the boy drove him crazy because of it, till the departure day came and he'd lost his resolve altogether.

He was going. He'd been ordered to go, and he wanted to go.

If he didn't get stronger, he'd have no place in the team. And he wasn't ready to give them up. No more than he was ready to fail a mission...

.-.

Heero went out the front door, pausing as he came beneath the large tree. The branches obscured him so that all Duo could see from the window was dark hair half hidden by thick green foliage.

Even if Heero looked up now, he wouldn't be able to see those dark blue eyes. He wasn't going to get one last look at him. Why?

Floodgates.

He almost never cried, but Duo always imagined the tears building up to the point where if they ever broke loose, he'd drown. Only they hadn't built up.

Two heavy streaks of dampness on his cheeks and his eyes burned dry. He couldn't even cry over this. That hurt more than anything.

Duo shoved away from the window, hiding his face in his arms as he leaned against the wall. His chest throbbed, but the sobs were grating. He felt as if he should have been curled with his tears glazing over him. So why couldn't he let it out? Why?

Why hadn't Heero looked down the hall when he came out of their room? Was he so set on his decision that he hadn't even felt Duo watching him?

Was he really invisible, even when he didn't want to be?

"Why didn't he see me...?"

"Don't cry..."

Duo reeled, his wide eyes flying around desperately. "Hee-"

Not Heero. He was invisible, and Heero couldn't see him.

Staggered.

The sudden hope and crashing disappointment staggered him. All of the strength drained from his legs and Duo sagged to the floor, half mindless to the strong arms that helped lower him.

Heero hadn't looked for him. He was gone.

"Do you want me to stop him? Bring him back?"

The words didn't register fully. Duo stared through dazed eyes, his lashes seeming too heavy and thick to be real. And his sight was doubled, tripled.

He was crying again. And Hiei, to whom he'd never spoken more than two words, had offered to bring Heero back for him.

Duo let out a low laugh that was half sob, reaching out to catch the boy close. He didn't care how rigid Hiei went the moment he touched him. If he could cry over it, he could get past it.

A broken whisper sounded above him, repeating the offer, and Duo gave a wretched grin, shaking his head against Hiei's chest.

"No..." Duo mumbled. "Let him go..."

_And let me be weak in front of you because my friends can't see me..._

TBC


	32. Pressing On

Author's note: A name dropped in this part comes from 'Unwanted.' I know I haven't updated that 'prequel', since I don't want to spoil things here, but what has been written so far should tell you who Austin is, and give you an idea of why he's important. For those who haven't read it and don't plan to read it, just know that he was Hiei and Yukina's foster brother, and Hiei's first friend.

This Part: Featured characters include Kurama, Zechs, and Quatre.

Category: Anime, Yaoi, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho  
Warnings: fluff, shonen ai, possible humor, action  
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, KuramaxHiei, will be 6x5  
Author: Arigatomina

**Gmen**

_Part 32: Pressing On_

Kurama didn't speak when Hiei slipped into their room, his eyes locked on the glowing screen in front of him.

Hours had passed since he'd gone upstairs and been informed of Hiei's quick departure. It hadn't taken much to guess where Hiei had gone, and why. And as much as it angered that jealous part of him, he'd known it wasn't his place to follow. He'd returned to their room instead.

His computer was quite different from the small laptop Heero used. Not only was it large and bulky – because he knew he wouldn't be traveling with it - it was rarely used.

A few low hanging bits of ivy and it remained hidden in a corner of their room. That was the way he liked it because every time he used the thing, he was in a dark mood. Not the computer's fault, of course, but it made him keep it out of sight when it wasn't in use. He was in just such a mood now.

He waited, listening to the silence as Hiei hesitated close to the door. Then he heard a quick, indrawn breath as the boy caught sight of what he had on the screen. Kurama let Hiei stare for a minute before turning to look at him.

"I thought you'd be gone longer," Kurama admitted, his voice soft and toneless. "Did he cry?"

Hiei flinched at that, his eyes darting off to the side as his shoulders hunched. His expression was dark and clouded, his teeth visibly clenched.

Sighing at himself, Kurama sent another sharp look at the screen. The boy there didn't look anything like Duo, and nothing like him. His hair was too short and messy, his eyes too pale and tired. Kurama just couldn't see the resemblance. He stared a while longer, not to make Hiei wait, but to force himself into a better mindset. Then he turned back and held out a hand.

His voice remained soft, but there was a commanding edge to it. "Come here, Hiei..."

A tense moment passed where he wasn't sure if Hiei would respond, or if the boy would dart from the room. Then a cold hand slipped into his.

Kurama tugged him closer so he could wrap his arms around that tense form. He hugged him as fiercely as he could, the sort of embrace that would suffocate or actually injure anyone else. Hiei melted into it, heaving a long shaky sigh against his chest.

"I didn't realize," Kurama admitted. "If I had known what you'd see when you went upstairs, I'd have kept you with me. But I thought you'd be gone longer."

"He has friends."

Those words were given in a sharp, bitter tone. Kurama winced in reaction.

"I'm sure they would have caught up to him if you hadn't," Kurama said quickly. "Wufei cares about him a great deal."

Hiei lifted his head, dim eyes shifting up to look at Kurama. "I know. That's why I left."

"I see."

With a bit of prodding, Kurama arranged Hiei so he was curled in his lap, letting them both face the computer. Hiei took one glance before looking away again.

"Then you stayed until Wufei got there?" asked Kurama. "It must have hurt...not being able to help. But Duo isn't like Austin."

The name did it. Kurama tightened his arms as Hiei jerked around to glare at the computer. He could feel light, furious tremors shaking that slender body, and he compensated with as much warmth and force as he could. Now that Hiei was facing it, he dropped his head on the boy's shoulder and lowered his voice to a whisper.

"Look how tired his eyes are," Kurama murmured. "He was older, and he'd already been through so much by himself. You said that Duo has friends, and you're right. Even if he were tired, his friends wouldn't let him give up. You don't have to worry about that. He might be hurt now, but he isn't the sort to let it keep him down. His friends will support him, and you can. He's like me now, you know? His eyes changed. They won't go back just because one thing upset him."

"He looked broken."

Hiei trembled as he hissed that out, but Kurama recognized it as anger being controlled. His friend was suppressing it so he wouldn't burn him. Kurama brushed his cheek against Hiei's, thanking him for the consideration.

"He's not broken, Hiei, just stricken. Tears work as a release, no matter how much you hate seeing them. You never saw Austin cry. Look at his eyes here. He held it all in until he didn't have the strength to go on. If Duo cried, then it's proof that he isn't holding back until it festers inside."

With a sharp growl, Hiei shoved the button across from them, turning the monitor off.

"I hate it," he spat. "I wanted to kill him for doing that."

Kurama knew he was talking about Heero. He wasn't about to try dissuading Hiei from being furious – it gave him an outlet. Unlike most people, Hiei never cried. He got angry instead.

"And I offered," Hiei continued, his voice tight and bitter again, "I offered to bring him back. I'm glad he said not to."

"Duo told you not to?" asked Kurama.

"Before he-"

Hiei stopped suddenly, his face tightening in an expression that caught Kurama by surprise. It took a while before he recognized it as embarrassment. That was such a startling contrast to Hiei's former anger that Kurama couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"Before he...?" Kurama prodded. "Exactly what did he do, Hiei...?"

Dropping his head as if he could hide his face with his hunched shoulders, Hiei glowered. "Hugged me."

"The devil he did," Kurama teased, his voice soft. "Taking advantage of you like that..."

Hiei growled at him, but Kurama could feel the tension lifting. He leaned forward so he could flash the boy a smile. Then he lifted Hiei and drew him over to the bed. A bit of concentration and the computer was hidden once more, leaving him to hold Hiei without the reminder.

It was difficult for him, accepting that Hiei would react so badly to Duo's pain. Kurama liked to think that he wasn't jealous, but the first time he'd seen Duo's picture he'd known this was someone important. It wasn't until a year later that he'd learned why the mystery boy in the picture was important – because of his eyes. And it always led back to Austin.

He'd looked the boy up, with a hopeful Hiei watching over his shoulder. Kurama had been hopeful as well, only he'd hoped that the boy wouldn't be found. He hadn't wanted to share Hiei, even back then. But once he learned of the suicide and saw Hiei's horrified reaction to the news, he had promised himself not to ever begrudge Hiei's feelings for others. He did, after all, have Austin to thank for his being with Hiei right now.

It was in the eyes. He'd told Wufei as much, though he'd said it in a teasing tone. Hiei really did have a weakness for those lost, hopelessly stricken eyes. He'd kept Duo's picture because of that expression – a terrified, tearful boy running from the death of everyone he loved. And Kurama knew, Hiei had kept him for the same reason – the eyes he'd raised when he first saw Hiei and had expected to die by that blood-soaked sword.

Hiei's reaction to tears was simpler to understand. Yukina. It hurt her to cry, weakened her. Kurama had tried to explain it before, that it was her mutant talent that made crying so painful for her, and that his own tears didn't hurt that way. He'd given up after a while, though. Hiei simply couldn't stand to see him cry any more than he could Yukina. And the same held true for Duo.

Kurama worried about what would happen when Heero returned – when not if – and Hiei confronted him. If there was one thing Hiei couldn't forgive, it was making a loved one cry.

.-.

He heard the boy before he saw him, one of those loud thoughts that were usually lost in the general murmur of a crowd. Since most of the students had retired to bed hours ago, that lone thought was particularly striking. The fact that it was bitterly resentful and directed right at him also helped to catch his attention.

_Don't you ever sleep?_

Zechs gave a wry smirk as he glanced up from the table he was sitting at. As ruffled as Wufei looked, standing half in the doorway, half in the dark hall, he knew the boy hadn't meant the thought to slip out. He looked as if he didn't know whether to enter the room and – heaven forbid – be sociable, or to duck back out in hopes that he hadn't been noticed.

Zechs caught his eyes, gave a quick nod, and looked back to his coffee. If Wufei chose to slip off, now he could do it without losing face.

A sigh sounded in the quiet room. Then Wufei crossed over to the coffee, snagged some, and took a resigned seat across from Zechs.

"If I didn't know better," Wufei muttered, "I'd think you were an insomniac. But you wouldn't be stupid enough to drink coffee when you're trying to fall asleep."

His lips twitched a bit at the disgruntled tone, but Zechs hid it behind an innocent expression.

"Do you know that some people react to caffeine by becoming more relaxed and controlled? It's rare, but it has been proscribed as a treatment to hyperactive people in the past. Ironic, that..."

"Are you saying you're one of those people?" asked Wufei with a raised eyebrow.

"No," Zechs smiled pleasantly. "Just making conversation."

"Avoiding the issue, you mean."

The boy's expression was irritated, but Zechs could tell it wasn't really because of him. He let the silence hang for a while, just sipping his coffee and watching to see if his suspicion was right. Unless he'd miscalculated, Wufei wouldn't be able to stay quiet for long. He might have come down looking for 'solitude,' but he wouldn't have entered the room if silence were what he really wanted right now. Sure enough, another sigh broke the quiet.

"I have you figured out, you know," Wufei sniffed. "You already know everything about us, so there's no exchanging stories. You don't give straight answers, don't encourage prodding, and just sit back on the sidelines watching. Must be nice to be so uninvolved."

Zechs didn't respond, his gaze steady. He waited until Wufei scowled and looked away. Then he broached the subject that was really bothering Wufei.

"How is he?" asked Zechs.

"I don't know," Wufei said sharply, glaring down at his cup. "He wouldn't talk to me at all. He just said he was tired and that he wanted to sleep it off."

"But?" Zechs said quietly.

"Hiei was with him."

Wufei shook his head, a hint of hurt flashing past his angry eyes. Hiei had looked decidedly uncomfortable when he'd found the boy in Duo's room, earlier. But Duo had smiled at Hiei as he left. Duo hadn't smiled at Wufei. He'd barely even looked at Wufei. How was he supposed to react to that?

"Why would he talk to Hiei and not me? I thought..."

"Sometimes it's easier to talk with a stranger than it is with a friend," said Zechs. "But I'd guess it's more that Hiei didn't talk at all. Duo wouldn't want you to see him with his guard down, and he would assume talking about it would keep the wound fresh. He should be able to discuss it in a few days. Right now, he's probably trying to protect himself from his feelings, to find a way to handle the situation on his own."

"Hiei shouldn't have even been there," Wufei glared. "Accusing me of hurting him, then looking guilty when I caught them alone. If I didn't know better..." 

"Kurama wasn't surprised," Zechs commented, his voice still soft. "He came up after the two of you left to find Duo. He wasn't surprised to hear that Hiei had gone as well. He wasn't happy about it, but he wasn't surprised."

Dark eyes snapped to him, and Zechs met them calmly. "Resigned, is how he looked."

"He told me once that if Hiei had met Duo instead of him, he'd have fallen in love just the same."

It was given as a challenge, as if he hoped Zechs would say something to counter it. Zechs didn't respond to that.

"You're still his best friend," said Zechs. "When he's ready, he'll need you there to support him, without this resentment. He's just not ready yet."

"Ready to share with Hiei, but not with me."

That former hint of hurt was now a frustrated blaze in those dark eyes. Zechs watched it for a long moment before leaning closer, his gaze sober.

"Do you want me to tell you what happened with Hiei?" asked Zechs. "To look in Duo's mind and tell you whether or not you need to be jealous? Do you want to attack Hiei instead of thanking him for being there when your friend needed a shoulder to cry on? Do you really resent Duo for not wanting to be weak in front of his friends any more than you do?"

Wufei's face was a picture of anger, hurt, and tired frustration. He shook his head, dropping his eyes to stare down at his hands.

"I should have said something earlier," Wufei said quietly. "Before he left. I couldn't think of anything to say that would help."

"You can't stand being helpless. You feel like he turned to someone else because you failed him."

"I did, though," Wufei sighed.

He shook his head again, giving a bitter smile at Zechs. He had a strong urge to sneak off and burn energy until he was too tired to be angry with himself. But Duo had taken away that option.

"Duo said he'd be down in the morning," murmured Wufei, "and that he'd help me with my talent since he can't practice his own for a few days. He was all business, dismissive, and cool. I don't think I've ever...seen that side of him. I don't like it."

"Everyone has his own way of coping," said Zechs. "Just be glad he isn't isolating himself."

"Right."

Most of that anger had faded to the point where Wufei was fairly slumped at the table, his expression tired and drained. Zechs followed the boy's gaze and frowned at his hands.

"Let me," Zechs offered, waving at the dark bruises marring Wufei's wrist.

Wufei blinked in surprise, a faint smile pulling at his lips. "From what I hear, your healing hurts more than a few bruises do. I think I'll pass."

"No faith at all..." sighed Zechs.

He reached out and caught Wufei's hand with his left, ignoring the boy's startled expression as he laid his right over the bruised wrist. It only took a moment. Then he released him with a wry smirk.

"Did you think I was a slow learner?"

"How much have you been practicing?" asked Wufei, his eyes suspicious. "I barely felt anything."

"Us insomniacs have to find something to pass the time, you know." Zechs flashed a teasing smile. "Mutilation in the name of training is one thing, but healing shouldn't hurt. It's been trial and error, but I think I have it down. Now I'm more likely to use too little energy, rather than too much."

"In just a few nights? On top of working with Hiei-"

"I haven't worked with him since that first time," Zechs reminded him. "I'll resume tomorrow if everyone is ready to get back to the training, but a mutant should have at least one thing he can do without being instructed every step of the way. Now that you know how to work your lightning, do you need Kurama to hold your hand until you master it? Of course not." 

Wufei's eyebrow twitched at the reference, mostly because he remembered how Kurama had held a lot more than his hand. But he didn't really see the two as similar. Kurama hadn't shown Zechs how to control his healing energy.

"He said Hiei couldn't teach you that," said Wufei. "Kurama said Hiei would work on the telepathy, but that he'd have to handle the energy control."

"Hiei taught me well enough. He told me to watch how much I used, and to use less the next time. Like I said, trial and error. Besides which," Zechs smirked, "I don't think Kurama would be comfortable working with me. He considers me the enemy, you know."

Wufei raised an eyebrow at that, but Zechs didn't elaborate, he just smirked. Then the white-haired man stood and leaned across the table to take away his coffee cup.

"You don't want to pick up my bad habits," said Zechs. "It's...fifteen after two in the morning, and you need your sleep. Be a good boy and go to bed."

Bright spots flushed on Wufei's cheeks and he bristled at the order, his hands curling into embarrassed fists. Where did raccoon eyes get off telling him that he needed sleep?

"You're one to talk," Wufei glowered.

"I'm an insomniac, remember?" Zechs smirked, holding his hands up in a helpless gesture. "I couldn't sleep if I wanted to. But you have your work cut out for you tomorrow – practicing your talent and cheering up Duo. Think of your responsibilities."

"You're changing the subject again. If you wanted to sleep, you wouldn't be down here drinking coffee."

Zechs nodded, not losing his smirk. "Unless I was one of those people for whom caffeine has an opposite effect."

"Which you're not!" Wufei blurted.

"Right," Zechs smiled.

Wufei's eyebrow twitched twice before settling into a droll expression. He heaved a deep sigh and pushed away from the table.

"You really don't like straight answers," said Wufei. "Be glad I'm too tired to continue this discussion."

"Not at all," Zechs smiled, escorting Wufei to the cafeteria door. "I would have liked the company. But you do have an obligation to be wide awake come morning, so I won't keep you."

The boy tossed him a frustrated glower, and Zechs watched until he disappeared in the dark hall. Once Wufei was gone, he smirked and shook his head, turning back to the table. As Heero might have said, the mission was accomplished.

Telepaths didn't read their friends. Since he'd spent considerable time without friends, that restriction hadn't stopped Zechs from reading innumerable people. Duo had seen it back when he first met the group – his familiarity with manipulation. It wasn't something he used often, certainly not with his newfound friends. But knowing exactly how to change a person's mood was useful at times. Wufei wasn't upset now, just tired.

He'd offered him comfort for his doubts, honesty to clear up his own false targets – he was angry at himself and not Hiei or Duo, and a distraction, something else to focus his frustration on. Treating Wufei like a child had made his proud self-reliance spring into place, all but erasing the lasting effects of his helplessness that morning.

He might have manipulated a friend, but he'd done it with good intentions, and he was satisfied with the results. More than satisfied. It was nice to feel useful. For one brief moment, he'd felt like part of the group, and it was a good feeling.

.-.

It was an unusual bunch at the table that morning. Kurama and Hiei had come up a good hour before anyone else – except Zechs, who'd never left. They were seated when the others came in, as if to make up for the missing place at the table. Duo came downstairs before Quatre and Trowa, another unusual occurrence since there hadn't been anyone there to wake him up. And Wufei was the last, dragging his feet and yawning all the way to his seat.

Duo sent one hesitant look at Hiei before plastering a wide smile on his face and beaming at his wary friends.

"So," Duo drawled, "training! What's the plan?"

Zechs answered, mostly repeating the plans that had been postponed the day before. He gave a nod to Hiei before speaking.

"Hiei and I are going to be working in the forest, with Quatre doing sweeps from the yard. The distance should work as a dampening effect."

Kurama nodded and caught Trowa's eyes. "It's a good chance to start on you," he told the boy. "You should be far enough away that you won't effect Quatre any more than Hiei would. And if Zechs can handle Hiei's mind, I'm sure he'll survive the exposure to yours."

Eyebrow twitching at that smug remark, Zechs sniffed. "I've read Trowa in that state before. It's painful, but not deadly. With my focus on Hiei, it shouldn't be more than a minor distraction."

"Right," Kurama smiled back. "And considering Trowa's own mind is painful to telepaths, I'd wager he won't be affected by Hiei – at least not too much. He won't be using his mindreading abilities for this."

"What would I be using?" asked Trowa.

"Whatever other powers you have," said Kurama. "We'll take the valley. You drop your shields and face my plants. They'll be your targets, so you shouldn't have to worry about hurting me. I promise, if you so much as touch me, Hiei will feel it and intervene."

That last bit was given in a teasing tone, with a sidelong look at the boy in question. Hiei's eyes narrowed, and he gave a tight nod.

"I'll be within a few seconds distance," he said. "With my speed that should be enough."

"And I can work with Wufei," Duo said brightly. "There's a way I could help him, isn't there?"

Kurama nodded, his smile just a tad encouraging. "Yes. He'd strain himself if he went against my plants so soon, but a slower moving target would be reasonable. Rocks or sticks – anything you can throw. From a tree that would give him a few seconds to try tracking it."

"That sounds good," said Wufei. "But if you're going to experiment with Trowa's powers, you might want to include someone who uses energy the way he does. He glowed when he dropped his shields. Yusuke might be helpful if he can test his energy on him without being a visible target."

"He did say he had a distance attack," said Trowa. He looked a little wary, but was willing to give it a chance.

"He's probably still asleep," Kurama smiled. "We can stop by his room on the way and pick him up."

"If he's willing," Duo frowned, "you mean."

"I'm sure he'd be all for it," Wufei assured him, giving the boy a knowing smile. "He likes to fight and show off, and this would let him do both."

"Then we're set?" asked Quatre. "I'll bring Une her breakfast. It looks like she'll be getting the day off again."

With the plans laid, they split up, Quatre staying at the school while the rest headed for the forest. Kurama had picked up Yusuke on the way. Quatre watched them go from his place beneath the tree on the front lawn.

Once they were out of sight down the hill, he sat and started his sweeps. It would be a while before they were in position for Zechs to actually start reading, but a bit of flexing before the session couldn't hurt. He was making a wide encompassing sweep of the entire area when two very close minds caught his attention.

Quatre opened his eyes and blinked to find two girls standing a few feet from him. He smiled at Yukina, but was surprised to see Relena standing next to her. If he hadn't been sitting comfortably, he'd have gotten to his feet out of respect.

"Hello," said Quatre. "Good morning to you both."

"You're out early today," said Yukina. "It's a lovely morning."

"I'm working on my talent," Quatre said honestly. "Zechs and Hiei, and the others, are working in the forest today. I'm going to be doing sweeps of them to test myself against Hiei's jagan."

He didn't mention that he'd also be feeling Trowa's mind for the very first time. He didn't need to. Yukina gave him a wide-eyed look the moment he mentioned Hiei's jagan.

"It's painful to telepaths," Yukina warned. "Do you think the distance will be enough to protect you?"

"I'm sure it will," said Quatre. "If not, I'll pull back."

"I see."

Yukina flashed him a bright smile, her dark red eyes glinting in the morning light. Then she turned her gaze on the tree he was seated by. She stared at the branches for a moment before hopping onto a nicely curved one and making herself comfortable.

Quatre stared in surprise, and a little unease at having a girl in a dress above his head. The way she was half curled, half stretched on the slanted limb was a stark contrast to how ladylike she was. It made him feel awkward.

Patting a hand on Quatre's shoulder, Relena gave a knowing smile as Yukina beamed from above them. "She gets that from her brother," Relena confided.

It was plain that the two girls were fond of each other. They were sharing a look like best friends with a secret. Despite himself, Quatre felt his heart contract in a surge of jealousy. Not of one of the girls, but of that look, the feeling they shared. It made him miss his sisters. He hadn't seen them in so long, but he remembered that look. They had the twinkling eyes of girls who knew each other better than anyone else ever could. Best friends.

Quatre had dropped his eyes, wishing now that he had picked a different place to read from. The memories that ran through his mind were painful, wistful, and distracting from the work he wanted to do.

"Well," said Relena, "I wish you luck. I'd be a distraction if I stayed, once the students get active, so I'll be going in now."

The girl gave Quatre a polite nod, and flashed Yukina another of those 'insider' smiles. Yukina beamed back before glancing down at Quatre.

"Will my being here distract you?" asked Yukina.

She looked unreasonably cute up in the tree, and Quatre couldn't hold onto his sad jealousy for long. He shook his head with a wry smile.

"No," said Quatre. "You won't bother me from up there."

He turned back around, making himself more comfortable against the tree. Just as he was closing his eyes to start another sweep, someone bounced over, nearly landing on his crossed legs.

"Yukina-sama!"

Quatre's eyebrow jerked at the boy's happy wail, and he gritted his teeth. He wouldn't dream of criticizing the boy, but now really wasn't the best time to have Kuwabara simpering all over the place. He'd never be able to concentrate with that mutant dancing around the tree.

Yukina's eyes widened and she held a finger over her mouth, giving Kuwabara a pretty frown. "Shh..."

The tall boy froze, his eyes shifting around to see what he was supposed to be quiet for. Since it was Yukina, his first thought was that she was trying to coax a bird onto her wrist. She was good at that, but she'd taught him that one had to be very quiet or the birds would be too afraid to land. He held his breath, eyes darting over the branches near her, looking for the bird.

"Quatre-san is practicing his talent," Yukina whispered. "He needs quiet to concentrate. If you can be very quiet, you can come up here so you won't distract him. Do you think you can be that quiet?"

Quatre sent a harried look up at Yukina, absolute disbelief flashing over his face. One look at the orange haired boy was enough to tell a person that 'very quiet' wasn't in his vocabulary. But when he glanced back at Kuwabara, he was surprised to see the boy's mouth clenched firmly shut.

Kuwabara's eyes were wide and sparkly, almost frighteningly happy and shiny, and he fairly floated up to the limb to the left of Yukina. He never made a sound, but the worshipping expression plastered on his face was dripping with the sticky sweet scent of puppy love. Quatre sweatdropped.

.-.

"So not only is it flying and mindreading, but a mystery power, too. You guys sure do like your secrets."

Yusuke was in a bright mood, considering the bits of sleep that still clung to his eyes at having been woken up early. He strode next to Trowa, doing his best to engage the silent boy in some sort of conversation before he had to attack him. That was what Kurama had asked, that he help him attack Trowa. The request had been enough to wake him up very quickly.

"I thought you guys didn't play with your talents," Yusuke continued, raising an eyebrow at the brooding teen.

"It's not playing precisely," Kurama told him. "We want to see what his limits are, and how he responds to different attacks. Your energy attacks should compliment my plants nicely. I have a suspicion Trowa may very well be as versatile as Hiei is – just not so controlled."

"Not controlled at all," said Trowa.

He wasn't comfortable with the way Yusuke kept smirking at him. If the boy didn't take this seriously, he could easily wind up hurt or worse once he dropped his shields. As far as Trowa knew, he only responded to stimulus – countering attacks, taking out those aiming to hurt him. But that didn't mean Kurama and Yusuke would be safe as his opponents. There was no guarantee that they'd be safe, especially if Kurama's plants were as powerful as he claimed they were.

"It's like a grab-bag," Duo said brightly, tilting his head at Yusuke. "Only it's not a mystery prize, it's a mystery death. Will he flashfry you, or punch a hole through your chest? You won't know until you open the bag."

Trowa shot a sharp look back at that comment. He was reminded of his ill-fated idea to have Duo test his powers by attacking him. Compared to that foolish notion, having Kurama and Yusuke as his opponents was much safer. While they didn't have Duo's excellent 'hiding' abilities, they did have offensive attacks that could keep him at bay.

"I really doubt he'd kill them," said Wufei. He smirked at the worried look that came over Yusuke's face. "And if you ask nicely, I'm sure Zechs would heal you when Trowa's finished with you."

Yusuke halted, a flash of confusion skirting past his face. "Are you guys kidding, or what? I thought this was just a test – training – not a real battle."

"It's just a test," said Kurama. "But it is a potentially dangerous test."

He turned a taunting look on the black-haired boy, pushing at Yusuke's pride more than anything.

"Since you're so eager to face Hiei in a real fight, I thought you'd be excited to try out your attacks on someone who might also be an S class mutant. But if you're afraid, you don't have to take part."

"I'm not afraid," Yusuke scoffed. "I just-"

He stopped suddenly, his face blanking for a long moment before screwing into disbelief.

"Did you say he was S class!"

Kurama gave a wide smile. "We don't know. That's what makes it interesting."

"Would you be jealous if he were?" asked Wufei.

Yusuke snorted and started walking again, his hands shoved into his pockets. "Of course not."

A glance back at Yusuke told Trowa the boy was serious. That playful, taunting look had been replaced with an almost calculating one – but an eagerly calculating one. Yusuke might take the fight seriously, but he was still looking forward to it. He had the sort of excited hungry look of a person who thrived on conflict.

Duo was looking up at the canopy as he walked, following a certain shadow with his eyes, so he jumped a little when Kurama showed up beside him. The redhead sent him and Wufei a smile before gesturing to their right.

"This path splits in a few minutes," said Kurama. "Follow the right path till you see a cactus with orange blossoms, about this big."

He cupped his hands to show a small diameter, and gestured a size about five inches high.

"It's a marker," he continued. "If you go off the path and keep heading straight, you'll see a bluff. There's a beautiful pear tree you can throw things from – pears if you like, though it would be better if you only throw the bad ones. No sense wasting them, after all."

Wufei and Duo gave somewhat hesitant nods, and Zechs raised an eyebrow at Kurama.

"Cactus? And a pear tree?"

The redhead grinned sheepishly, making Zechs shake his head with a bemused smile.

"I know you can grow almost any plant in a foreign landscape, with your talent," said Zechs, "but your choices are strange. You do realize that."

"They're real plants," Kurama said in his defense. "I planted the seeds years ago. I did make the tree grow faster, but I didn't use a bit of my talent on the cactus."

"It's for show," said Hiei.

Zechs glanced over, surprised to see that Hiei had come down from the trees to walk with them. He'd been bounding overhead since they reached the forest.

"Show?" asked Wufei.

Kurama explained, still wearing his sheepish, lightly embarrassed smile. "I wanted to see how long it would take for someone to notice it, since the paths were used much more often back then. But as far as I can tell, no one ever did. I suppose it just wasn't large enough to catch anyone's attention."

"And the pear tree?" asked Duo.

Kurama sent a teasing look over at Hiei, smirking when the boy glowered and sidled further away from them. He turned back to Duo and winked.

"Hiei likes pears. You'll see that when you get there. He's completely wiped out the ones on the top of the tree."

"Urusai."

Duo glanced over at Hiei's low growl. The boy was bristling and pointedly looking away from them. Duo gave a small smile as he turned back to Kurama. "Maybe I shouldn't throw them, then. I've never been one to waste food."

"You can tell which ones are bad," said Kurama. "Just consider it pruning. And you could always throw them at Wufei. It would encourage him to strike them down. Rotten fruit isn't pleasant when you're hit by it."

Wufei's eyebrow twitched at the suggestion. But Duo sent him a teasing smirk that made him keep his rebuttal to himself. If it cheered the boy up to throw rotten fruit at him, then so be it. He heaved a resigned sigh as he turned to watch for the split in the path.

The two boys left the group a few minutes later and Kurama went to walk with Hiei. Zechs was trailing after Trowa and Yusuke, far enough ahead that he wouldn't hear them.

"Where do you plan to work at?" asked Kurama.

"I don't," Hiei sniffed. He sent a droll look up at the redhead. "You make the plans. And this isn't work. I'm going to curl up and take a nap. He can read me from the ground. I don't need to be awake for this."

"You're bored..."

Kurama's eyes widened and he gave a frustrated huff. "Of course you're bored. You could probably work with Trowa without it affecting the reading Zechs gets from you. And here you're stuck wasting the day, not even close enough to watch the fight."

"I wouldn't want to watch it," said Hiei. "I'd want to fight it. But it would affect the reading. If I used the jagan or the kokoryuuha, it would be affected. It would be too distracted to pay attention to him."

"It," Kurama repeated, his eyes dark. "Do you have any idea why it wants to talk to him, Hiei? Why it's even interested in him?"

"I think because he's the only one to read me," Hiei scowled. "If the boy – Quatre – can read me, I'll know. If it responds to him as well..."

"Then it's just curious about who is entering your mind," Kurama finished. "I really wish you could just ask it."

Hiei snorted, sending a taunting look up at Kurama. "What do you think I talked about after our fight the day before? I was only out for an hour. It was...amused by my questions. I didn't have time to get an answer."

Kurama raised an eyebrow, his eyes glittering merrily. "Are you saying I should have knocked you out for longer?"

"Think you could have?" Hiei countered. He gave a sly, appreciative smile. "I like that attack. It's more powerful than anything you've created before."

"I'll work on it," said Kurama. "I can't make it much stronger, though. I was afraid I'd killed you for a minute there, when you first went down."

"Baka."

The little mutant rolled his eyes, and Kurama smiled as he put a warm arm over Hiei's shoulders. "Do me a favor, would you? Have Zechs heal you before you take your nap."

Sharp red eyes snapped up at him. Kurama answered that glare with a sly smile.

"Do that for me, and I'll see if I can make that attack stronger the next time we spar. I think I could have increased the speed with fewer roots, without loosing the impact of the limbs themselves. It would be very dangerous that way...potentially deadly, even to you..."

The temptation did it. Kurama could see the familiar gleam in Hiei's crimson eyes, the flash of small white fangs as he grinned.

While Hiei regularly pushed him because he wanted him to increase his offensive powers, the little mutant also enjoyed the challenge. Lately their fights had shifted from sessions of 'push Kurama to be inventive so the match lasts longer' into 'try to come as close to killing Hiei as you can without actually killing him.' It was a little nerve wracking for Kurama, but addictive in its own way.

.-.

Since his friends knew he was doing sweeps over them, Quatre didn't hesitate to 'watch' them while he waited. He didn't prod deep enough to read their memories, sticking to surface thoughts, glimpses of what they saw. Quatre had found that when it came to his abilities, he was visually and emotionally inclined. The images that came to him were dim compared to reality, but quite vivid considering they were secondhand scenes.

He skirted over Zechs, from whom he got a nice back view of Trowa walking not far ahead. Yusuke was beside Trowa, and Quatre hesitated on him. From his eyes he could see how blank Trowa's face was.

It disturbed him, knowing that Trowa was closing his emotions off and he hadn't felt a thing. The boy had seemed a little hesitant that morning, but nowhere near as cold as he looked from Yusuke's eyes. Trowa's face was pale, highlighted as if carved with marble. His hair was a tawny sheen, backlit with a green so dark it made his eyes shine with a light of their own. The word that Yusuke placed on the scene, as if stamping the back of a snapshot, was _dangerous_. And next to that, in a flowing script-like quality, was _sexy_.

Quatre fumed and pulled away from the imaginative boy, a dark angry flush taking over his face. He'd forgotten exactly who he was reading for a moment there. Trowa had looked almost surreal – because that was the tint Yusuke's imagination put on the scene. But the idea of Yusuke checking out Trowa like that...

He glared at his hands, forcefully rubbing his palms over his legs. He'd just experienced a very strong wash of possessive anger. Now he had to resist an urge to make the boy bite his tongue for thinking of Trowa like that. It didn't matter if Yusuke was absolutely right about how sexy Trowa was. He shouldn't have been looking in the first place. He could damn well find his own guy to drool over.

Determined to calm himself before the real readings began, Quatre shifted his attention away from Trowa. He paused on Zechs this time and nearly pulled away in surprise as a ghost ran past his eyes.

It was a memory, half mixed with the forest path Zechs was walking down, but it was at the top of his thoughts, as vivid as Yusuke's has been. A little girl with shockingly long lemon colored hair flying out behind her as she ran laughing down the path, followed by large fluffy black and white dog nearly as tall as she was. The title given to the memory, as insubstantial as a shadow written in charcoal, was _guilt_.

The meaning was lost on Quatre, but he pulled away quickly to put more distance between himself and that half-formed memory. That was a private thought, and having read it – even if it was at the very top of Zechs' mind – made him uncomfortable.

He shifted off, skirting around Kurama as if the teen's mind was plague-ridden. None of them had forgotten Hiei's warning, so he wasn't about to read him, even if he was only doing light sweeps. Instead, he sought out Duo.

Wufei, as usual with him, was giving a wordless image of a dark thundercloud. Now that Quatre knew him better, he realized that Wufei's block took the form of whatever talent he was using, or had used last. It was all the information he could get from him. Duo's mind was much more open.

Even with his reading being light, thoughts filtered in along with the images. Trowa had commented on that before, how loud Duo's thoughts were. It was an ironic counter to his mutant talent. Physically Duo was made for hiding, but mentally he was vivid and striking.

He was looking down at a little brown mass of something sticky and wet that lay a few inches from black shoes, that were now specked and splotched with bits of the stuff. There was no need for a title as the thought came embedded in the image, _now that will stain if it hits your chest_.

Laughter tinted the scene a bright blue as the image shifted to show Wufei standing with what was now recognizable as a rotten piece of fruit splattered over his shoes. The boy was scowling, his dark eyes glinting with sparks of red that were Duo's interpretation of anger. The small, quietly giggling thought that accompanied Wufei's growling expression, with a wash of warm gold, was _adorable_.

Quatre smiled as he shifted his sweep back toward the others. He'd been stricken with guilt since Heero had made his announcement yesterday. It wasn't his place to intrude on Heero's thoughts, especially when the boy's eyes had been so set and determined and...his emotions had given him a dismal haze that Quatre had felt without needing his mindreading abilities. He had feared, after Duo had run, that the boy would fall into a state of isolated depression. Seeing how bright and warm his emotion-mixed thoughts were, he knew Duo was coping. At least for right now, he was coping.

He made a fast sweep back over Zechs and Yusuke, catching a vague bit of impatience from the latter, and surprise from the first. They were no longer together, though.

Since he was supposed to be reading Hiei, Quatre forced himself to focus on Zechs instead of Yusuke. He really wanted to see what happened when Trowa dropped his shield, but his sense of responsibility told him to be patient.

Zechs was staring at something that at first didn't make sense to Quatre as he tried to interpret the oddly mottled shades of pale green and tan. He pressed a bit closer, glancing at the thoughts that accompanied the scene, and he reacted with a surprise that mirrored Zechs' emotion; _Kurama's stronger than I gave him credit for_.

And the scene shifted into a more meaningful focus. The colors changed into pale skin, bruises healing on a curved back. _He considers that a good fight, I can imagine what a great fight would result in_.

The thoughts were whispers, different from Duo's vibrant words. This was what happened when he listened to a fellow telepath talk to himself. Quatre knew that if he pressed just a bit, Zechs would hear his own thoughts and they'd be in communication with each other. But for now, it looked like he had a few more minutes to continue his sweeps.

He pulled away, rushing back to Yusuke to check on Trowa. The images were unfamiliar to him, but the boy put a label on the scene that told him they had reached their destination, _demon territory_. It was the valley where Kurama and Hiei had their sparring matches.

Yusuke's attention was on a very large tree limb that was reaching toward him with crooked finger-like stems and a backdrop of splatter-movie red. The word attached to the scene was a playfully horrified _tentacle-sex_, with a subtitle of _only Kurama_.

Quatre's face flamed and he gritted his teeth. It was going to be very difficult spying on Trowa when most of Yusuke's thoughts were enhanced by that imagination of his. Having the boy label things didn't help matters any. It made him wonder how Kuwabara could be so insanely sweet around Yukina when he spent most of his time with a boy whose very thoughts were twisted like that.

As he tentatively glanced back to see Yusuke climbing the limb – which was now a normal tree limb except for the impossibly needle-sharp blue-tinted stems, _skewers_ – something caught his attention.

'_I'm starting now, Quatre.'_

The voice was soft and unobtrusive, but definitely directed to him. He turned his focus back to Zechs, physically steeling himself for whatever pain was to come. That small push took him closer to the man's mind, and he could almost see through his eyes with real-time clarity. '_I'm ready.'_

The eyes he'd been looking through closed, leaving him in complete darkness with just a hint of not being alone in there. Quatre waited with what would have been wide-eyed nervousness if he hadn't had his own eyes closed as he concentrated.

A shadow shifted somewhere, a lighter burning gray over the black. Zechs' attention turned toward this and the darkness broke with bright sparks of flaming hot white pain. It struck Quatre in a frontal assault that sent him reeling away so quickly he hit the back of his head on the tree he'd been leaning against.

The mental pain was fleeting compared to the back of his head. Quatre grimaced and rubbed a shaking hand over his hair. He'd been knocked completely out of the connection he'd made with Zechs. It wasn't like a block. He hadn't been looking in when the window closed and cut off his sight, he'd been inside and literally thrown out. _'How could he do that?'_

'_Quatre?_'

Zechs' thought came to him as if wrapped in that force, another blow that hit him as if it wanted to knock him out of his own mind next. Quatre shoved against it, sending a sharp mental order to Zechs. '_Don't broadcast. It rides your thoughts._'

Silence answered him and it was a dazed moment before he realized he had made it an order. The pain of both the attack, and his aching head had confused him enough that he exerted his control without meaning to. But Zechs hadn't fought the order, so it was just as well.

With a deep breath, Quatre eased close again. Like before, he did a light sweep over Zechs. Only he found himself reading a beacon of black with shifting, threatening white beneath. As if it were a sentient presence it taunted him, daring him to come forward so it could lash out at him again. And it was obscuring Zechs so that he couldn't read him.

He pushed for a way into what his visually-inclined reading saw as a barrier, jerking back again when the edges flared with a hint of that pain. He wasn't going to take it head on, he was looking for a weak spot.

His attention was very focused, so he barely noted the rising background noise. When it came, it struck him like a cyclone from behind, shoving him into that white barrier. He was thrown off as if he had no more substance than a balloon in a wind tunnel. Emotions swirled around him, catching him up in a blinding haze that was somehow worse than the pain.

_Rage, frustration, fear, fury, confusion, curiosity, amusement, dark violent satisfaction, impatience, stark childlike terror, apathy, pain, burning, broken, cold and alone. Retaliation. Love. Destruction._

Lost in the maelstrom, Quatre wasn't aware of the small, choked sound he made, or the moment when he lost his anchor to his body. His mind was crushed, tossed and buffeted by conflicting emotions that drew him into the eye of the storm, right into the midst of a repressed psyche that was chaos when released.

.-.

_He's not welcome here. But another would devour him happily._

The words were a deep, taunting grin in the darkness burning around him, and Zechs suppressed his urge to fight against it.

He'd been locked in, by an order he couldn't even begin to comprehend. Whatever Quatre had done to him with that one statement, he knew he wasn't reading Hiei now. He couldn't seem to read anyone at all. And as horrifying as that was, being locked in with that presence was a thousand times worse.

Its sheer amusement frightened him more than the sense of something huge and evil towering over him.

_Fear. You came to me, now you fear. You don't know what you want._

It wasn't a voice, not like Quatre's voice had been in his mind – separate, but audible. This was a feeling that couldn't be broken down into voice;thought;sound;sensation. It was communication, but some kind he couldn't define. And as much as he'd tried to steel himself for this, Zechs couldn't make himself respond to it.

_Twisting shadows behind him, flickering flames of purple and black, peaked eyes that would swallow entire worlds if given the chance, turning to slither toward him, monstrous._

It couldn't be a subconscious mind. Zechs refused to accept that, not when it had shape and motives and an agenda entirely its own. He couldn't reconcile that, wouldn't accept that.

_What I am eats at you, stubborn fool. The fox knows. He always knew first._

The image of that giant creature sneaking up behind him faded for a moment, and Zechs registered what it was saying to him.

Now there was a hint, not of the monstrous creature from some black nightmare, but of something far more familiar to him. It was just a hint, with the use of that pet name, a hint of Hiei.

But if it really were a subconscious voice, why would it assume that shape?

_Do you know what I see when I look at you here? You'll know regret for my notice. What I am, what you are, one of a kind, both. I can give you what you want, in return for my use._

Questions came to him, but Zechs didn't know how to voice them. He thought it could read him – not his thoughts because what it spoke to him didn't come in the form of anything so simple as thought – but that it knew just from being in contact with him.

Because the moment Quatre's presence had been rejected, the moment he'd been locked into communication with the thing, he'd ceased to have anything he could call a simple thought. He couldn't form the words, didn't know how to direct them in the form of question. Incomprehensible.

_Don't think so much. Thoughts, nonthoughts, it doesn't matter. How do you speak to the part locked away, the part that rejects your weakness to protect you from yourself? Dialogue is so mundane. You're no better than him in that._

_Need, frustration, impatience, and a want so strong it shook from it._

Zechs recoiled, cringing from the push of feeling from something he still couldn't see as human. '_What do you want from me_?'

The response was immediate, intense, and filled with an almost childlike glee. And it was followed by a memory, presented with the feeling not of a gift, but of a debt that would be repaid at a later time.

_To wake you, use you, and see. So many things he doesn't know, doesn't need to know. Neither of them do. I know, and that's enough. You interest me, with the potential. Less than the fox, who we need, yet more in a way. I don't need you, but I may choose to. If that time comes I'll show you what you are. In return, know me as he does. More than that, I won't give you._

The memory was nothing like what he'd sensed when reading Hiei. As vivid and striking as those memories had been, he felt this one. Like he was experiencing it, rather than watching it.

When a thought rose, young and fearful, he heard it in his mind as if it originated from him and not a younger version of Hiei.

'_Am I dead..._?'

_Hardly._

Zechs reacted with surprise, suspicion, and fear that weren't his own. Darkness surrounded him and he couldn't lift his eyes. But the sensations were a part of the memory, like the brief glimpse that formed in his mind.

_Yukina, choking for air, eyes bright with tears, outstretched hand shaking, begging, terrified._

'_Yukina! Is she...?'_

_Dead? No, but lost to you if you don't open your eyes. They're taking her away from you._

'_She's all right? My eyes...I can't open them. Hurts. My head hurts...'_

_You weren't ready to use that power. You failed to protect her, so she saved you. You made her kill for you. And now she doesn't know you._

'_She didn't...!'_

_Anger, disbelief, childish grief and old, old coldness forming a sharp denial._

'_You lie. Who are you? Lie again and I'll-'_

_Kill me? You'd kill yourself if you did. I am you. I see everything you do, and much that you do not. I told you how to control him, remember? Or maybe you don't. You remember so little of anything. This world has ruined you. Let me tell you what you did. You've done what you, I, would never do, hurt her, forced her to do what goes against her entire being. Our purpose is to protect her. She and the...she. She is all we have left. Yet you lie here letting those people hide her away. Get up. Find her._

'_I can't wake up. I'm trying. I can't move...'_

_So weak._

_Fury, frustration, how could that be him, he'd never be so mocking of himself, impossible, how he wanted to kill him, to sleep in what had to be death. But for Yukina, if it were true..._

_It is true, you know that. They took her from you, gave her to another and brought you here. Even if you can't open your eyes, you can open your ears and listen to what they're saying around you. She doesn't remember! She's defenseless and she doesn't remember you or herself. Amnesia, they're calling it. They don't plan to tell you where they took her, or to tell her that you exist. The longer you lie here, the further they take her. You can't find her like I did before._

'_Before?'_

_You don't remember anything. Wake up and I'll let you remember everything from now on. Just wake up and find her._

'_Say it all you like, it won't change anything.'_

_Resignation, pain, exhaustion, confusion, dread that it might be true, but certainty that it did not fit._

'_If you were me, you couldn't know what you claim to know.'_

_I hear. You would hear if you'd just listen. They're talking right now. They don't understand why the wound won't heal. You feel the pain. They've sewed it up with some ridiculous notion that it's a wound to be closed. That is what hurts you most. Sense it, try to open you eyes._

'_What wound? You mean my forehead? The cut...'_

_You used it to control him, used it before you were ready. But you are alive. You're not hurt so badly you can't move. There's no excuse to lie here day after day while she gets further away from us!_

'_Stop. Yelling. At me.' _

_Growling, burning anger sparking into a small rage, annoyance at the intrusion and condescending tone, who did it think it was?_

_You, you fool. Believe me and wake up, or I'll make your sleep so miserable you'll beg to wake up on your own._

'_So I'm threatening myself now...?'_

_Right. Only I am not the shell you are. Do you want to see her cry again and again until you break from it? You do know that kills her, don't you? She was not made for tears. Each one takes more life from her. See how many she shed for you._

_Yukina in the dark across from him, her sobs choking her, whimpers echoing his pain as the tears streaked down her ashen face, sparkling in her pale hair, her empty hand clutching at air unable to reach him, terror, horror written in those eyes as they slowly turned white, glowing, hardening into absolute hatred-_

'_Stop!'_

_Your eyes were still open when you passed out. I can show you what your eyes saw that you didn't stay awake to see. If you need to see that. I think it would break you to see that._

'_What...what happened to her...?'_

_Ice to your fire, light to your dark. The kindest ones can be the most merciless when driven to kill. You've awakened too soon; your body is not ready to control power like mine, ours. For her, it is different. They've always matured quickly. You would understand...if you didn't forget things._

'_But her eyes...'_

_Each tear. Count them as they fall. Each one shortens her life._

_Guilt, a gaping chasm of black opening to swallow him up, that voice, presence, fading away as he sunk into it, dull, hopeless, empty._

_No! You've slept enough. Use the guilt and pain, make it anger, and wake up._

'_It's too late. I couldn't help her...'_

_You weren't ready. I may hate it, but it can't be changed. You'll be stronger, strong enough to protect her, to protect...anyone you want to protect. Fight. Struggle. I, we, have always lived that way. Find the...find a partner to hone your skills. They're there, they just need to be woken. You'll see...when you open your eyes._

'_If I am so strong, why can't I wake up?'_

_Silence, waiting, the sudden sensation of having gotten the upper hand in a contest he didn't understand. Satisfaction at having shut up someone he was coming to dislike immensely._

_You hate my knowledge. Ironic, I hate your naiveté. You're a child trying to control powers far beyond your understanding. Don't question yourself, just feel it. You don't need to know why it exists, or how it works. Just harness it and use it to get out of this place!_

'_Get out of my head, and I'll try.'_

_Idiot. The moment you wake up, you won't hear me anymore. The next time I speak to you, it will be after you've tapped my, our, power. Or at the moment of your death. Until then, you'll be on your own. Thrive off that if you can. I know I always have._

The memory didn't fade out the way it had come, it simply ended, with Zechs staring dazedly into that shifting darkness. He could feel that thing watching him, waiting for a response, and he spoke the first thing that came to his mind. '_What happened after that?_'

_He woke up._

Those questions that had formed early were returning to him, but Zechs shoved them aside. That memory, living it as he had, made him forget most of his terror and awe at this presence. Now, he was beginning to wonder if it really might be just what it claimed, Hiei's subconscious mind. '_What are you, really?_'

_What are you? You don't even know what you are. Why would I tell you about me?_

Zechs could sense some sort of satisfaction from the presence, like a predator toying with its prey. He refused to back down from that. '_How did Hiei, or you, find Kurama?_'

_Anger, suspicion, annoyance, impatience, affronted._

The reaction to his question told him he'd made a dent, struck a cord. And it clarified things for him. No matter how strange the being was, it reacted the same as he'd have expected Hiei to.

_That's not your concern. I've let you see enough memories of him. You won't get another from me._

'_Let?_' Zechs prodded, his suspicions rising sharply. '_I never passed the jagan, did I. You pulled me through. Only you didn't bother to tell Hiei. You let him think he had a weakness that anyone could exploit._'

_He does have a weakness. I didn't pull you through, I just monitored where you went once you passed it. You did pass it, but I could have locked away every memory, so you'd have gotten nothing for your trouble. _

'_But you did feed me those memories I saw_.'

_I merely gave you a handful that would peak your interest. It was a trade. I fed your curiosity. In return, you showed me what you are._

'_You've said that more than once. What do you think I am?_'

_Potentially useful._

_Grinning, dark, predatory, amused, and mocking_. Zechs knew instantly that he could push for no more information than that. There was a warning hidden behind that dark promise, a warning he could only interpret as death.

_Tell your friend not to contest me. I won't let him touch my mind, not with his power of control. I'd be forced to kill him if he persisted._

'_You mean Quatre_.'

_I mean._

There was a sudden rush of light, a sensation of air flowing past his face, and Zechs let out a startled breath as he landed on his back. His wide eyes stared dazedly at the far too bright sky peaking at him from above. It wasn't until a shadow fell over his face that he realized he was no longer locked in his mind. And Hiei was standing over him with an impatient scowl.

"Are you finished?" asked Hiei. "How could you concentrate with noise like that?"

As if the boy's words broke a sound barrier, Zechs realized the forest was alive with crashes, tearing sounds that fairly shook the ground beneath them, and explosions that sparked visibly even though they were separated from the valley by half a mile of forest.

Hiei snorted before darting away. Still getting used to the sensation of having a physical body, Zechs trailed after him.

.-.

The emotions were fading, leaving Quatre with the feeling of being dropped into a turbulent ocean after having spun above it. The emotions, having combined to form an unending rage, were still there, still rocking him, but it was weakened enough that he remembered who he was. He began to fight against them, searching for some sort of control, some block he could put up as protection.

The thought, barely formed, seemed to materialize before him. That imagined ocean, with the water cyclone still spinning over the tsunami-like waves, was separated from him. With his visual nature, he saw it as a slowly thickening pane of glass. It didn't stop him from seeing the torment, or feeling the aftershocks, but it would keep him from being swept away.

And he began to feel again. He could feel that faint throbbing from where he'd struck his head earlier, the soft press of grass from where he sat on the lawn, and something else.

He could feel a strange tingling that made the hairs on his arms stand on end.

Quatre opened his eyes, only to be dazed by a golden sparkling glow that obscured his surroundings. He winced and let out a small sound of pain as his head brushed the tree behind him. The golden light withdrew, revealing large open hands, then pulling back to show a very familiar – and entirely unexpected – face.

"He's awake!"

"Are you all right?"

The voices were quiet after the loud emotional upheaval he'd been in the middle of. Quatre had to think for a moment before he was sure what they'd said. Then he gave a slow nod. "I think so..."

Kuwabara let out a loud sigh, his shoulders slumping despite the hand Yukina placed on him. He barely had the energy to beam at her, so he'd have to gush later.

"We were very worried," said Yukina. Her eyes moved over Quatre's ashen face, and she let out a little sigh of her own. "You were talking, but you didn't hear us."

"Talking?" asked Quatre. "What did I say?"

A slow, tired smirk spread over Kuwabara's face, and he sniffed at the blonde boy. "Trowa. That's all you said. His name, over and over. It's a good thing you were whispering it or the students would have had a field day."

Quatre's eyes widened, a dark blush tinting his cheeks as he saw the few students that spotted the lawn. They weren't looking at him, but he imagined they would have been making a great fuss if he'd been screaming out a boy's name.

"Is he in danger?" asked Yukina. "We can take you to him if he needs help."

"No!" Quatre shook his head quickly, and promptly winced as it throbbed. "No," he said again. "I was reading him and...got swept up in it. That's all."

"Yeah," Kuwabara snorted, "that's all. Don't I get a thanks for saving you?"

Yukina gave a little frown, but nodded when Quatre looked to her with confused eyes. "You were getting weaker and more distant with every second. You couldn't seem to breathe properly, and your face was so pale."

"It's still pale," Kuwbara commented. "But you were really cold, too. I figured since I helped that friend of yours, I could try with you. I didn't think it would work that quickly, though."

"He's still very weak," said Yukina. She frowned in concern at Quatre. "You should go in and lie down."

"You gave me energy," Quatre whispered. "And I used it to...make a block. Only it wasn't a block, but a filter. On..."

Quatre's eyes widened and he gave a little gasp, his heart jumping into his throat. "On Trowa! I made a filter – meaning I can still read without getting the full brunt! Thank you!"

The blonde boy darted forward, and Kuwabara choked as he was given a very grateful hug. His face turned crimson, and even Yukina's pleased smile didn't stop him from twitching. He'd never live this down once word of it got back to Yusuke...

.-.

There was a very inelegant saying about how messy things got when the shit hit the fan. Kurama now knew exactly what those people meant. What had been planned as a straightforward – if inherently dangerous – experiment, had turned into a fullblown battle within a space of a few minutes. He still wasn't sure what had gone wrong.

Trowa hadn't waited for them to attack him first. The boy had been standing at the base of the valley, seemingly calm. Then, for no reason Kurama was aware of, he'd sparked into a blaze of green energy. And even stranger, he'd reacted as if he'd been incited by an enemy he couldn't see.

Kurama had waited a moment, keeping Yusuke and himself shield by the tree so the mutant wouldn't spot them. But it became clear that Trowa was going to find a target of his own if they didn't give him one immediately. The boy launched into the air, proving this, and the fight had begun.

It wasn't a test. It was more of a challenge at trying to keep the boy in the valley. They had no idea where he was planning to go, but the absolute violence in him was visible. He couldn't be unleashed on the school like that.

Yusuke had thrown a barrage of energy blasts, white bursts that exploded on contact with Trowa's green aura. And it was evident that the powers were not compatible.

From his vantage point as watcher-slash-controller, Kurama recognized the green energy as a shield. It deflected Yusuke's attack the same way it did the smaller vines Kurama had sent at him. If it had been a heated energy, like Hiei's flame, the plants wouldn't have skidded off like that.

The one saving point Kurama had was speed. His plants, at least the ones he ended up using now, were crafted to match Hiei's speed. For all of Trowa's destructive and defensive power, he had human speed. His ability to fly let him dodge slower attacks, but he couldn't compete with rapid, bloodthirsty plants.

These were enough to keep him confined to the valley, but Kurama still couldn't get them through Trowa's shield. The boy had enough strength to shred his thickest vine – nearly eight feet in diameter and geared to resist Hiei's sword – with his fists alone, the pieces glancing off his shield as he flew right through his targets. And Yusuke was hard pressed to keep the boy distracted without revealing his own location.

Hiei joined the fray after a single glance at the mutilated plants, and the seemingly psychotic mutant rampaging within that confined valley. He tossed away his cloak – and sword, since he couldn't exactly slice the boy up – then jumped down.

It took Zechs considerably longer to reach the valley, but he alone understood the real problem. All he needed was one glance into Trowa's fury-ridden mind to know. The boy must have sensed Quatre's encounter with Hiei's jagan earlier.

That sudden unexpected pain would have been enough to set him off. And Trowa, unable to think clearly now, had no way to realize that the reason Quatre continued to feel pain was because of him, and not an unseen enemy. The boy was reacting to something he couldn't fight, and taking that out on anything that posed a threat to him.

Kurama spotted Hiei before Yusuke did and blocked Yusuke from sending any more of his energy attacks. He had an idea that they would burn Hiei as badly as Kuwabara's energy had him, and Hiei would be fighting far too close to Trowa to risk that. Yusuke didn't argue, subsiding to peak out from behind the tree's shielding leaves.

Since Hiei was making darting moves at Trowa, essentially keeping the boy on the ground, Kurama diverted his plants to create a barrier over the top of the valley. With both of the mutants locked inside, there wouldn't be any chance of Trowa escaping unless he got past first Hiei, then the block.

There was no emotion on Hiei's face as he continued to make darting moves, merely circling the enraged boy. He made no attempt to actually strike him. Trowa was floating inches from the ground now, his glowing green eyes wide as he twisted and turned, unable to lock on his target. That energy shield of his weakened as he got more and more agitated.

Hiei had expected as much. With his continued speed, he didn't pause long enough for Trowa to see him. All the boy knew was that someone was there, someone who could hurt him, but someone he couldn't see. And as wildly out of control as Trowa had been before, he was much worse now.

Trowa let out a scream that was the epitome of frustration, and his green energy crackled for a second. A second was all Hiei needed.

In that moment of weakness, Hiei darted forward and landed a single blow on the back of the boy's head. The energy dissipated as Trowa sagged forward, and he caught him as he fell, lowering him to the ground.

Kurama removed his barrier from the valley and jumped down, momentarily forgetting about Yusuke. He was halfway to Hiei when the boy gave a wild cry that made him whip back around.

The tree was snapping its limb back and forth, trying to dislodge the mutant who had a death-grip on its branches.

Kurama couldn't help the snicker that broke from him as he knelt to send a bit of soothing energy through the ground to the roots of the tree. The flailing stopped immediately, and it lowered the limb so Yusuke hung mere feet from the top edge of the valley.

Yusuke didn't move for a long minute, blinking wary eyes down at the ground as if he fully expected the crazy plant to snap back if he started to let go. Then he jumped and crouched. Sure enough, the moment he was off, it jerked the limb out of his reach. Suddenly he thought he knew how unwanted a leech must feel on a disgusted teenager's arm.

"That's the last time I get on your psycho tree, Kurama!"

Kurama grinned and tipped one silver ear at the boy before turning away. He reached Hiei and crouched down to take Trowa from him.

"He's much stronger than I thought he'd be," Kurama admitted.

Hiei flicked his eyes over the remains of the plants in the field and leveled a knowing smirk up at the fox. "You didn't use your latest attack on him."

"Well of course not," Kurama scoffed, "I didn't want to kill him. He wasn't thinking clearly enough to defend against something like that plant. It's nearly as intelligent and calculating as I am."

"Then he's not so strong," said Hiei. "But he's still S class. If he learned to control that energy, I'd like to see the two of you have a rematch."

"Us?"

Kurama's eyes widened and he sent a sharp frown down at Hiei. "Why don't you want to fight him?"

"He's too slow. He relies entirely on close combat, so he'd never touch me in a fight."

"Ah..."

Hefting Trowa onto his back, Kurama gave a long sigh and started toward the edge of the valley. It would a while before he had the energy to regrow the plants that had been destroyed in this little fiasco. He couldn't wait to get back to his nice soft bed and nap for a few hours.

A glance back at Hiei had him smirking as they walked. He was tired enough that he could even survive a back rub without his libido going crazy on him. And he knew just the person bored enough to give him one.

TBC


	33. Past Precedence

**Awakening:** I've made a music video to go with this fic, which illustrates some of the more interesting crossover scenes (including Zechs and Yukina in the moonlight, Kurama using his vine-sword on Kuwabara, Kurama and Wufei in the tree after training at the valley, Yukina and Une, Yukina and Relena, and a number of edited GW scenes that were definitely not in the original anime). The video was made specifically for the latest part of the fic (parts 30-40), but it includes a lot of the story building up to this arc (like Quatre being knocked out and Trowa's reaction). If you're curious what's coming up in this fic, you'll probably like the teasers – and it has some nice shonen ai scenes for the various pairings (namely 1x2 and 3x4). For anyone who's never seen an amv, I'd urge you to try this one. It's about as close as I can get to animating a fanfic. :)

www . geocities . com / arigatomina / gmen . html

(remove spaces)

**Author's Notes:** This part contains a lot of background information, but it should not be considered filler. I've tried to present it in an interesting fashion, so if it gets boring at times, drop me a note on which parts are the worst, and I'll see if I can spice them up some. The pace picks up drastically from here on out, so this part is necessary to explain some things.

**This Part:** Featured characters include Duo, Wufei, and cameos.

Category: Anime, Yaoi, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho  
Warnings: extensive dialogue, possible humor, some action  
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, KuramaxHiei, will be 6x5  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina-hotmail . com  
Website / Complete Archive: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Gmen**

_Part 33: Past Precedence_

There were already a few students dotting the small classroom, taking up the back two rows the way teenagers were prone to do if they arrived early. That didn't leave many options for Duo, so he slunk into the seat closest to the door, but furthest from the front of the class.

To say he felt awkward would have been an understatement. He'd half expected the students to stare at him when he entered, as if he were wearing a neon sign that read 'isn't a real student.' Since he hadn't bothered to pay attention to the various students he'd seen in the school, he couldn't tell if the ones behind him had seen him around, if they would recognize him from the people he spent time with. He just felt conspicuous, and insanely uncomfortable.

He watched the door, still feeling eyes on him from the people in the back rows, and wondered if the air in the room was as stagnant as it seemed to him. He wasn't exactly claustrophobic, just nervous about being shut into such a small room with so many strangers. But he'd been bored, and unwilling to go back to that lonely bedroom so early in the day.

After his rather enjoyable session with Wufei, they'd run across Yusuke on their way back to the school. Yusuke had filled them in on the little adventure they'd missed, along with a warning about a certain psychotic tree to watch out for. He'd also spent a good ten minutes making fun of the stains on Wufei's normally pristine clothing. Duo had taken complete credit for that, and enjoyed watching his friend bluster and turn redder than Kurama's hair.

Unfortunately, Duo had made such a game of splattering Wufei that the boy headed straight for his room when they got back. A very long shower was needed to get the brown gunk out of his hair, and his clothing. That had left Duo with nothing to do but waste time till dinner.

It had been Yusuke's suggestion that he try sitting in on one of the classes. Duo still wasn't sure how the boy had talked him into voluntary torture of the educational persuasion. He hadn't even realized there were classes this late in the day.

Yusuke claimed this wasn't a class so much as a lecture, and he'd promised it would be an interesting one. According to him, it was given mostly to new students. It was one of the only classes the boy had gone to, and the only one he'd sat in on more than once. He said the lecture, though keeping to the same topic, changed each time he'd listened to it. That made it more like a story and less like a teacher cramming information into a student's head, to be drug back out later in the form of a test. So, in Yusuke's definition, it wasn't a class. It was a speaker who told an interesting story.

Duo didn't know how interesting he'd find a lecture, but almost anything would be better than sitting alone and listening to his own thoughts. He just hoped the others would be around to eat together later. Quatre and Trowa probably wouldn't be, from what Yusuke had told him, but there was still Wufei and Zechs, maybe even Kurama and Hiei. Just so long as he didn't have to eat alone, he'd be happy.

A girl sat down in the empty seat beside him, and Duo glanced over at her with a wary expression. There were more than enough seats in the front row, and two other desks in his row. That left ten seats she could have chosen instead of the one right next to him. A moment later and two more students sat down in his row, girls, who immediately smiled at the one next to him.

He looked away, doing his best to act like he couldn't have cared less if a strange girl decided to share his personal space. Her friends had taken the desk next to them, so he supposed it made sense that she sat where she had. There were only two chairs for each desk, after all. And it wasn't like she was doing anything to him by sitting there.

Someone stopped in front of Duo's desk, and he looked up with a resigned expression. The guy was frowning at him in a way that made him wonder if this weren't a normal classroom after all. He had a feeling he was about to be asked to move to a different seat, even though he'd gotten there first.

Duo made up his mind with a snap of anger. It wasn't worth so much trouble just to stay in a class when he really didn't care about the lecture at all. He was just starting to rise when the boy spoke, not to him, but to the girl beside him. That was when he noticed the frown on the boy's face wasn't angry, but wary and almost hurt.

"I'm really sorry about earlier," the boy said. "I promise I won't argue in front of the teachers anymore."

"There's no need to apologize," the girl answered, not looking up from the little notebook she'd opened in front of her. "We both know you'll do it again the first chance you get."

Duo glanced over, not caring if he stared a little. She'd sat beside him, so it wasn't his fault if he was now privy to their discussion.

The girl was pretty, in a soft sort of way – not a childlike innocent the way Yukina looked, but more like the proper young lady Relena appeared to be. Her hair was light brown, curling to just below her shoulders. But her eyes were a wide vivid green that reminded Duo of Kurama. Her expression, though, that reminded him of the way Une had looked back when she was masquerading as Relena – prim, proper, putting on an air of disdain that didn't quite reach her eyes. Duo had an idea she was actually very nice, but that she was affecting a proper distaste to keep the boy from sweet-talking her.

"Ah, don't be mad at me, Fuu," the boy sighed, a winsome smile spreading over his face. "You're too pretty to frown like that."

The girl's eyebrow twitched, and she sniffed in response, straightening her notebook. "Who said I was angry? I simply want to sit where I'll be able to hear the teacher – without being distracted by whatever bickering may arise elsewhere."

"You can sit by me, Ferio," another girl called out.

Duo leaned back so he could see the one who'd spoken, and found himself looking over at the girl seated at the desk next to them. She had long, straight, ash-blue hair and eyes of a similar color, and she was giving a flirtatious smile. She noticed Duo's attention and blinked at him. Then her smile grew wider.

A very light flush rose over Duo's face and he turned away quickly. He had an idea he'd just been checked out by a pretty girl and found worthy. He couldn't remember the last time that had happened, if ever, but he definitely wasn't interested.

The green-haired boy who was standing in front of his desk looked down at him, and Duo was surprised to see that he wore the same look of discomfort that Duo had.

"I don't suppose you'd want to sit by her instead, would you...?" the boy asked, his voice hopeful.

"No!"

Duo regretted how quickly he'd said that, as he caught the blue-haired girl scowling out of the corner of his eye. But the boy shrugged, giving a dramatic sigh of resignation.

"Don't blame you," he muttered.

He straightened after a moment, and held out a tanned hand to Duo.

"The name's Ferio. If you're going to be sitting by the love of my life, we should probably be on a first name basis."

The girl beside him scowled at her notebook, ducking her head with a dark blush. Duo shot her a look before giving the boy a slow smile and accepting the handshake.

"Duo."

"Strange name," Ferio smirked. "Just like us. This fetching lady is Fuu, known for her shy beauty, sharp intelligence, and stubborn ability to play hard-to-get."

"Oh, really," the blue-haired girl sniffed, tossing her head.

"Sit down, already," the girl beside her frowned.

Duo took note of the boredom in this one's voice and looked over at her. She was seated by the blue-haired girl, but looked nothing like her, or like Fuu, for that matter. If he didn't know better, he'd have pegged her at thirteen at the oldest, while the other two girls looked closer to sixteen. She had dark reddish-pink hair that was fluffy around her head, but caught back in a very tight, and long, braid. Her dark pink eyes were reminiscent of Yukina, as was the childlike nature of her pout. She was fidgeting in her seat.

"I don't want another teacher to think we're all bad because of you," the girl frowned unhappily.

Ferio caught Duo's gaze and jerked his head toward the pink-haired girl. "That's Hikaru, our resident spitfire. She's my number one rival for attention in our little group."

Duo gave a slow nod. The girl beside him let out a loud sigh, and he glanced over, blinking at how sharply she set down her pen. Fuu turned to give him a polite, if somewhat forced, smile.

"Since some people are too impolite to do so," she said pointedly, "I'll introduce you to Umi."

The blue-haired girl lifted her nose in the air and disdained to look at him. Duo was pretty sure his quick 'no' earlier had ruined her interest in him, which was a good thing, as far as he was concerned.

"Nice to meet you all," said Duo.

"And now that we know each other's names," Fuu drawled, still not looking at Ferio. "Maybe we can sit down before the teacher gets here, and avoid giving another bad first impression."

The boy gave Duo a helpless shrug and turned away, trudging off to take the empty seat closest to Umi, who beamed at having him right next to her. He looked quite depressed, and though Duo had just met him, he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him. He didn't know what the boy had done to make his girlfriend get angry with him, but he recognized Umi as the sort of girl few would want to be around for long. She was quite pretty, but seemed too sure of herself, possibly conceited.

Two more students came in a few minutes later, but the front row was still mostly empty when the teacher arrived. It seemed that even with voluntary attendance, no one wanted to sit too close to the front of the class.

The teacher was a young looking woman, possibly in her mid twenties, with ash-brown hair twisted into two curls that fell forward over her shoulders. She had bright brown eyes that sparked in a friendly, and almost amused way as she smiled at the class.

After introducing herself with a simple, "You can call me Sally," she turned her back to the class and wrote on the chalkboard. _**Mutant Evolution**._

"I'm sure most of you have attended public schools in the past, though that may not be true for all of you. What I like to do is give a rundown for new students, so they understand what we are, and why we've been ostracized from society."

She went to the left side of the board and wrote a single name, **_Lucy_**, from which she drew a horizontal **V** to **_Humans_** at the top, and **_Primates_** at the bottom. There was a quiet murmur in the back of the class when she turned around.

"Who here knows who Lucy is?" asked Sally.

Fuu's hand rose immediately, and Duo shot her a quick look, as did most of the students.

"She's the missing link," said Fuu.

"Exactly," said Sally. "One of the biggest controversies since Darwin was the idea that humans evolved from apes. In 1974 we found evidence to the contrary, though it still remains a widespread misconception. Lucy is the earliest hominid we've studied, found in Ethiopia, and dating back some five million years. What we now know is that while primates – whether apes, orangutans, chimpanzees – are not our ancestors any more than I'm descended from my sister or cousin. Lucy is the common ancestor of both modern humans, and modern primates. Her line branched into at least two paths, one of which gave us the primates, and the other...humans."

She pointed to the two categories as she spoke.

"Originally there may have been many offshoots, species that didn't survive to the modern day, but which shared features of both groups – without fitting into either. This is the way evolution moves."

Hikaru leaned forward, not bothering to raise her hand. "Bigfoot," she said sharply. "They say that species doesn't exist because it wouldn't have lived so long if it were the link between us and apes. But if it came from the same place we did, there's no reason it couldn't have survived for just as long."

"Without anyone finding so much as a hair from them," Ferio scoffed loudly.

"And why not?" Hikaru glowered. "If I had people hunting me down, I wouldn't leave hair lying around either. Not everything sheds all the time – how many human hairs do you find when you walk through the woods?"

Ferio snickered, not bothering to hid his grin. "Next you'll say the Yetti exists, and that he wipes the snow after he walks so no one can track him."

The girl blustered, fuming quietly, and a few tentative laughs broke out from the back. Duo looked at the teacher to see her take on the interruption and found her smiling pleasantly.

"That's a good example," said Sally, drawing the attention back to her. "The reason I start with Lucy is because humans have now begun to branch in the same way her descendants did."

She turned back to the chalkboard and made a branch off **_Humans_**, where she wrote **_Mutants_**. When she turned back to the class, it was with sparkling eyes.

"Now, does anyone know what sympatric speciation is?"

Duo turned to look at Fuu, and smirked when her hand twitched, but didn't rise.

"How about the word sympatric?" Sally prodded, still smiling.

Fuu's hand shot up. "Same place."

"Right. And speciation?"

"The spread of a species," said Fuu. "But a species spreading in the same place...that doesn't sound like a definition."

"It's a literal definition," said Sally. She turned back and wrote _(sympatric speciation)_ on the chalkboard, in small letters beneath **_Mutants_**.

"What this means," she explained, "is slow changes throughout the entire population of a species, giving birth to a new species that replaces the original. This is what terrifies humans. Mutants are not an evolutionary offshoot, like your Bigfoot may be. We're spread out everywhere there are members of the parent species, everywhere there are humans."

Duo frowned at that, suddenly wishing he had Fuu's confidence to just raise his hand with a question, or Hikaru's flair to just blurt one out. What the teacher said didn't fit with his mutant emergence. It hadn't been slow at all. One day he'd been as normal as could be, and the next, he'd been a freak of nature.

"What you have to keep in mind," Sally continued, "is that mutants have existed for as long as human records have."

This brought a loud murmur of dissent from the class, Duo included as he scowled at that claim.

"Think for a moment," Sally said patiently. "How many of you have heard of paranormal activity – not ghosts and goblins, but telekenisis, telepathy, pyrokenisis, poltergeist activity that always takes place near a teenager in distress, levitation, spontaneous combustion, remote viewing, out of body experiences, and the list goes on. These are just a few of the things we now refer to as mutant talents, but they've been reported since human beings learned to put down lasting records.

"For centuries certain Hindus have professed the ability to levitate, gained status for this seemingly religious power. People have glowed with an inner light and been accepted as blessed vessels of some holy power. The religious communities used these phenomena for centuries before humans decided it was all the product of overactive imaginations and con artists. Do any of you know what happened when the first 'mutants' emerged into the public eye?"

"Skeptics," Hikaru blurted, "they were like people who claimed they saw UFOs. No one believed it."

"Exactly," said Sally. "Now that we know what types of 'powers' mutants have, we can recognize mutants in the histories of every single human civilization we know of. They may have only been accepted recently, but they've been showing up for centuries. That's the way evolution works. It isn't a quick change, but small shifts in dna over a long period of time."

Someone in the back row raised a hand, and she nodded to him.

"So why are there so many mutants now? And more showing up every day?"

Sally gave a slow, wry smile. "Because we see them now. They've been suppressed for so long, some killed as heretics, others ignoring their abilities because they made them different. And because after a certain period of time, the new emerging species will increase to the point where it replaces the original. It may take another dozen centuries before that happens, but we're well on our way toward it."

"No wonder humans are afraid of us," Hikaru sighed.

"That's the crux," said Sally. "Humans fear change. They've ignored the signs, or misrepresented them, anything so they can act like nothing is happening. Mutants might as well have arrived in spaceships, for all we've thrown the scientific experts on their ears."

She continued, giving a brief list of various cultures, and the 'gods' and 'holy rulers' now believed to have been mutants. It was interesting to think that people that far back might have used their abilities in such an open fashion. Since people now knew about mutants, Duo was sure no one would be mistaken for a God, more like a devil. He didn't know much about history, since he'd barely attended two years of school before he was left on the run, but he knew there were still religious leaders out there who condemned mutants as being possessed by evil spirits, if not outright demons.

The class ended soon after that, Sally inviting them to return if they chose, and promising that each of her lectures involved different material. A few of the students looked like they just might take her up on that, but Duo didn't think he would. It was neat to hear about mutant origins. He just didn't like being in a cramped room full of strangers.

Fuu took her notebook and caught him as he was about to exit the class, inviting him to eat lunch with her and her friends. It was an unexpected invitation, and Duo actually considered taking her up on it. He was about to say as much when the teacher approached them, looking down at Duo as if they knew each other.

"Could I speak to you for moment?" asked Sally.

Duo felt a wash of nervousness sweep over him, almost forgetting that he was friends with Relena's brother, so there wasn't much a teacher could do to him here. It wasn't like a real school, after all. He gave the woman a nod a sighed with honest regret as he turned back to Fuu.

"Maybe a raincheck," said Duo.

"It was nice meeting you," Fuu nodded, smiling back at him as Hikaru caught her arm and pulled her out of the room. Ferio followed them, Umi hot on his heels.

Once he was alone with the teacher, Sally closed the door and – making Duo very nervous – locked it. She then gestured for him to have a seat and took a chair across from him.

"I wanted to talk with you," Sally began, "because I recognize you. I worked as a medical doctor for OZ, up until a few years ago, and I still keep track of them. I'm glad to see you've put that behind you and come here instead."

Duo paled a bit as he returned her stare. The way she said it made him think that she knew very well he was still a rebel. He didn't know what game she was playing at.

"How much do you know about OZ?" she prodded.

"Well," Duo said slowly, hesitant to give her any admissions. "I haven't studied or researched them, if that's what you mean."

"Let me give you a little history lesson," said Sally. "It's the sort of thing you might not learn from just sitting in on classes here."

There was a reason she wanted him to listen, so Duo nodded. He kept his expression shuttered, but set his mind to remembering everything she said.

"OZ," she said, "is the brainchild of an old organization known as the Romafeller Foundation. Don't feel bad if the name isn't familiar. Few people know of it. It started in pre-war Germany, about...ninety-five years ago. Since you're an American, I assume you know something about the war and the results it had on the western part of the world."

Duo gave a vague nod, his eyes narrowing. Why did he need to know this?

"The United States withdrew from the United Nations after that first attack. Talk was that it had been a conspiracy of all the members, so the US couldn't trust any of them. It was a month later that Japan was hit, then Russia, Germany... Before long, all allegiances were dropped and no country trusted another. I'm sure you can imagine that the poor countries, who relied on their allies for aid and trade, took the worst hit, with enormous deathrates. They appealed to anyone who would help.

"That's when the Romafeller Foundation stepped up. By giving aid indiscriminately, they made friends behind the scenes with as many countries as they could get ties into. There were a few standouts, of course. As you might know, the Arabic nations abstained, and have been neutral since then. But they, and Switzerland, were the only real holdouts. In the meantime, the Foundation started branches of itself in each of the countries – to help keep the peace for their friends."

Sally smirked wryly, her voice sarcastic. "They were welcomed with open arms. Eventually, their kind helping hand turned into a willing leadership. That's where OZ was formed. Their superior technology allowed even the poor countries to keep the peace inside their borders, stamping down crime, eliminating hunger in the far east, and making a sort of utopia globally that no one every dreamed possible."

Duo leaned back as a strange gleam flashed past the woman's eyes, something that made him distinctly uneasy.

"Myself," said Sally, "as a student of history as well as a medical doctor, I was impressed and appreciative, even in awe of them. That's why I joined OZ. It wasn't until the mutants started appearing that things broke down."

Her tone shifted, more personal, and she leaned closer to Duo so her voice could drop to a quite murmur. Duo saw her send a glance toward the door, and he stopped fidgeting. If she were nervous about what she had to say, then it was probably worth hearing.

"There was speculation," she said, "inside OZ, that Romafeller was the unknown enemy targeting other countries in the war. If so, then they turned the countries against each other, leaving themselves free to help out in the aftermath, to ingratiate themselves on people in need of allies and support. They wanted world-wide control, and the best way to get that isn't to fight directly, it's to make sure they're the only ones the countries can depend on. That way, they come to them willingly, no battle necessary.

"Keep in mind that I haven't found any proof of this, but I believe it's true. And one thing Romefeller never counted on was for countries to find a way to overthrow them that didn't require military power of their own. OZ holds the bar for technology, so there isn't a military out there that could stand up to them. But mutants don't need technology."

That was it, Duo realized, the point of this. He was careful not to let any expression on his face.

"Mutants," said Sally, "are found even in the poorest, most isolated countries. These people, if used as military advantages, could overthrow OZ in a heartbeat. The problem isn't that they don't have the ability, it's that mutants are widespread and not united. That's why OZ started their anti-mutant campaign the moment they discovered the emerging species.

"First they snuffed reports of mutants the same way the old skeptics passed off paranormal activity as hoaxes. When they couldn't keep up fast enough to hide the rashes of mutants being discovered, they admitted their existence but made light of it. They said mutants were few and far between and that most of them were no where near as dangerous as the tabloids reported. That still didn't keep mutants from hitting the spotlight, so finally OZ began to speculate – publicly – that mutants might be the emergence of a new type of human. It was true, but the way they let it slip, it caused a panic.

"They speculated that humanity was on the verge of being replaced by...mutant aberrations, diseased things that only looked human. It snowballed from there. The religious groups jumped on the bandwagon, condemning mutants, boycotting change, leaders of the former governments spoke of mutants as if they had some disease that needed to be cured, scientists worried that it might be catching, talk grew that maybe mutants should be rounded up and rendered sterile so they couldn't reproduce to take over the world with a population of monsters.

"All of this hysteria made it easy for OZ to get their hands on mutants the moment the were discovered. They continued to downplay the revealed mutant talents and to make individuals disappear when they found them before the press did. They've kept regular humans afraid of mutants, while also convincing them that it isn't a widespread problem yet – Oz was taking care of it. This let the humans rest more comfortably, and kept them wary of mutants – so they were likely to report them and turn them in if discovered.

"That's where we are today," said Sally. "The official registry of mutants is little more than a list of people to capture and 'check off' one by one.

"To date, there has never been an alliance of mutants in any one country. The Sanq Kingdom is the only one to do it, at least, the only public one. That's why OZ hasn't come in and interfered. The world is watching this country-"

She punctuated her words by slapping her palm on the desk in front of her, making Duo jump a little.

"-and any move by OZ against a pacifist nation – mutants or otherwise – would ruin their image and make them the 'bad' guys. So far, OZ hasn't seen a way around that, so they're pretending that they only worry for the safety of the country's people. If it were any other country, that might work, but here the people support their royal leaders."

She leaned back, holding Duo's eyes with an almost accusatory look. "So OZ is at a stalemate and the Sanq Kingdom is free to have talks with any country they choose, all the while gathering more mutants into the safety of its borders. We have to be very careful not to show ourselves as a threat to anyone. That means any movement inside the country has to be peaceful."

Duo realized she was saying not to base attacks from here, without coming out and admitting that he was one of the rebels. He gave a slow nod.

"I wouldn't worry about that," said Duo. "I'm sure no mutant would risk this country that way."

Even as he said it, all he could think about was how Kurama had encouraged them to attack and then retreat here – as if he wanted the Sanq Kingdom to become a target. He didn't know what to make of that.

.-.

"Oi, Newbie!"

Yusuke raised an eyebrow when Wufei blinked over at him. They were seated outside under the tree on the lawn, having lunch with Hiei, Kurama, and Zechs.

"You spaced out on me," Yusuke sighed. "Am I really that boring?"

"No," Wufei said quickly. "I was just wondering what was keeping Duo, that's all."

Wufei found himself looking at Kurama, and he frowned when the boy's eyebrow rose. His gaze seemed to be directed at something behind him, and Hiei's gaze had shifted to the same thing.

Not sure what to expect, Wufei looked to his left, where Zechs was sitting. And he raised an eyebrow as well.

A blonde girl was standing a few feet away, something in her expression making him decidedly wary. She wasn't looking at their group so much as at Zechs in particular, and he couldn't tell if her unusual eyes were what worried him, or her smile.

After a moment, she started toward them, and Wufei elbowed Zechs to get the man's attention.

Zechs glanced over at Wufei just as something brushed his hair. A shiver passed along the back of his neck and he whipped around. He managed to catch her wrist before she could tug on his long white hair, his eyes going from angry to shocked in a heartbeat.

"Still quick," the girl smirked. "But not quick to contact me when you decided to drag yourself back here."

Zechs' mouth was open and he looked like he was going into shock, or maybe suffocating.

Kurama turned curious eyes to him. "Zechs?"

"Sex!" the girl spat. "What kind of name is that?"

She raised an eyebrow, glaring down at Kurama. "Would you mind telling me why you just called Milliardo sex?"

Yusuke choked, smothering a laugh at how peaked Kurama looked at that statement. But Zechs didn't blush at the mistake. In fact, he looked a little green around the edges.

"It's Zechs," Wufei corrected, stressing the 'z' sound. "Zechs Merquise. That's what he goes by now."

"Really," the girl drawled. "Well, I certainly am not about to call you sex or Zechs, or anything of the sort, Milliardo. So you can stop staring and greet me properly."

Zechs flushed, color swamping back to his face as he nodded sharply. "I apologize."

He stood and introduced her to the others. "This is Dorothy Catalonia, Relena's breastmate."

This time it was Wufei who choked, his face turning pasty white. "Her what...?"

"Breastmate," Dorothy smirked. "I suppose that sounds as bad as Zechs does. It means my mother breast-fed her as a baby along with me. Milliardo's mother passed away shortly after Relena was born."

"Oh," said Wufei. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yes, well, it was some time ago." With a light smile to the teen, Dorothy turned away. "Milliardo, you have taken my honor, running away like you did. You have the nerve to come back without contacting me immediately?"

Her smile remained as she took a step closer to the taller man. "I demand retribution."

Zechs closed his eyes just as her hand struck his cheek, and he didn't look up after the slap.

"Meet me downstairs in five minutes."

She stepped back, turning her smile on the stunned boys who stared up at her.

"You're invited to witness if you like," Dorothy said pleasantly. "Any friends of Milliardo are more than welcome."

The blonde girl turned away in a swirl of long skirt and longer hair. Silence held for a long moment after she'd disappeared into the school. Then Yusuke let out a whoop that made Wufei flinch away in surprise.

"I knew I knew her!" Jumping to his feet, Yusuke laughed at Zechs. "She said your friends could witness, so can I go, too? Please? I've always wanted to see one of these matches, and the two of you are practically a legend around here."

Zechs still hadn't opened his eyes, his cheek starting to blossom red from the open-handed blow.

Wufei climbed to his feet, his voice soft. "Zechs? What's going on?"

"Old history," Zechs sighed.

He lifted his head, tossing a resigned look at Wufei. "Feel free to witness if you want."

He gave a vague smile that was almost a wince. "It's not every day I get my pride handed to me by a girl half my size. It's been years since the last time she beat me."

He crouched to gather his lunch things, then crossed the lawn, fully intent to do just as Dorothy had demanded.

Kurama turned to Yusuke after Zechs was gone, catching the boy's attention. "Who is she? You said you knew her."

"Are you kidding?" Yusuke asked, his eyes wide. "I actually know something you don't know?"

Kurama gave him a sober look, and he grinned, waving a hand at the redhead.

"They were engaged," said Yusuke. "It was one of those 'marry off your kids so you don't have to worry about heirs when you die,' type deals. But he left, and she was sent back home without so much as a parting gift. There were a lot of rumors about what might have happened. From what I hear, she was livid from all the talk. Word is that they used to duel all the time, and she always won. I can't wait to see what she can do now that she's really mad!"

"I see now," said Kurama. "I'd heard he was engaged at one point, but Relena never mentioned the name of his fiancé. From what little she did say, it was a touchy subject."

"She didn't seem that angry," said Wufei. "She was smiling the entire time."

"Yeah," Yusuke grinned, "but she's supposed to be a little crazy. I wonder if she realizes they changed the downstairs into a gym. She'd probably challenge him to a fist fight if there aren't any weapons down there. Zechs is screwed if that happens – I really doubt he'd hit a girl, even in self defense. And rumor has it, she's pretty violent."

"There's a weapons room downstairs," said Kurama.

"Great," said Yusuke. "Let's get down there, then, before we miss the match."

Hiei snorted and started for the school, Yusuke right behind him and still beaming at the prospect of watching a real duel. Wufei hesitated a little longer, frowning over the yard that was spotted with students. He shook his head at Kurama, the redhead having glanced back at him.

"Duo should have been out by now," said Wufei. "Unless he decided to eat lunch alone."

"Did he say he'd meet you out here?"

"No," Wufei admitted.

"Then he may not realize you were even expecting him," said Kurama. "Come on. A little violent display will probably do you some good to get your mind off things. And besides, Dorothy was checking you out."

Wufei sputtered, nearly dropping his lunch tray. "What?"

"Well, not really," Kurama smiled. "I think she had eyes for Zechs mostly, but she did look you over more than the rest of us. A lovely young woman who can beat someone twice her size would be just the sort of person you're interested in, right? She wasn't the least bit passive, or pacifistic, for that matter."

Eyebrow twitching, Wufei shot the redhead an unamused look. "I have nothing against pacifists, I just don't think a person should be too passive. That doesn't mean I'm going to fall for a woman, just because she's antagonistic."

"But she's so confident," Kurama teased, prodding Wufei toward the school. "You like people who are self-assured, right? And she's bright and cheerful, like Duo. She certainly isn't the type who'd blame herself if something went wrong. She'd challenge the guilty party to a duel, and keep her smile the entire time. Isn't that just your idea of the perfect person?"

Wufei glowered at the teasing, but didn't complain when Kurama as good as escorted him downstairs. While he did want to wait around in case Duo showed up, his main reason for not going down was that the girl, Dorothy, irked him. He thought it was her familiar yet haughty tone. Something about her smile and manner just rubbed him wrong, and he really didn't want to see her fight Zechs. The last thing he wanted was to watch a grown man lose to a smirking female, no matter how good she was.

The match had already begun by the time Kurama and Wufei left the stairwell, crossing over to join Hiei where he was leaning against the wall a few yards from the duelists. Yusuke was sitting crosslegged on the floor beside Hiei, a wide grin on his face. He glanced up and laughed at Wufei's puzzled look.

"Never seen a fencing match before?" asked Yusuke.

"I thought it was a duel," Wufei said quietly, still frowning at the strange blade-less weapons Zechs and Dorothy were using. They looked more like long needles, with narrow arrow-shaped tips, than like any sword he'd ever used.

Kurama leaned closer to the Chinese boy, his voice soft enough that it wouldn't disturb the two people currently circling each other. "Fencing is more about grace and speed, getting through defenses, than outright strength. In this sort of match, Dorothy's lesser strength isn't a disadvantage to her. Two people can stand on even grounds despite things like age or sex."

"I see," said Wufei.

He was rather disappointed that this wouldn't be like sword matches he'd seen in the past. Compared to kendo, this fencing seemed more like an aristocrat's game – playing at a fight without any real danger to either combatant. He sniffed in distaste.

"They're pretty good," Yusuke commented.

Wufei raised an eyebrow at him and looked back to where Zechs and Dorothy were. As far as he could tell, they were just dodging each other, sort of dancing forward and back with barely any sound from the clashing of those mock-blades. "How can you tell? What's the point of the match?"

"If one of them touches the other with the tip, that person takes a hit," Yusuke shrugged. "I don't know if they count points or what, but if the blades aren't tipped, a hit can be deadly – those things are really sharp."

"You can tell they're good," Kurama added, smiling down at Wufei, "from their expressions. They know exactly what they're doing, and whether it's a deadly game or not, they're taking it very seriously. Zechs is, of course, at a disadvantage. But he doesn't look the least bit worried."

"Disadvantage?"

"Honor," Hiei snorted. He had his arms folded over his chest and looked more bored than anything.

"I told you," Yusuke smirked. "He can't hit a girl. I bet all the Peacecrafts were like that. See? His blade is tipped, hers isn't. You missed it, but she had a fit when he refused to use a real one. Not too bright, if you ask me. She's out for blood."

Wufei took him at his word and went back to watching the match. He still didn't see the point, and except for a bit of a glint at the edge of her weapon, he couldn't catch what Yusuke had meant about tipped points. The two duelists were moving a little too fast for his eyes to lock onto such narrow silver blades. But he could see what Kurama had meant about their expressions.

Dorothy was obviously an aggressor in the match. Most of the movement was from her darting forward so their weapons clashed and Zechs gave way, deflecting the attack but not countering it. And all the while he kept the same cool, sober controlled look as he dodged and blocked, as if he wasn't the least bit worried about one of the attacks making it past his defense. Dorothy, for all she kept that sly smile on her face, had a gleam in her eyes that said she knew her opponent, knew all of his weaknesses, and knew she was going to win because she always won. It was a sort of confidence ingrained after continual victories, with no room for self-doubt.

Wufei was concentrating on the movements, not following the blades so much as their arms. The actual moves, thrusts, blocks, twisting deflections, were identical to what real sword wielders would use. But the blades were much longer. He didn't see why Zechs was letting her get so close to him when her weapon had such an extended reach. All he could think was that the man wasn't letting her – that he was unable to stop her. But that didn't fit with his calm expression.

Dorothy grinned as she found her opponent nearing the far wall, her eyes dancing at his seemingly confident look. He was playing the cool fighter, but she wasn't fooled for a second. He'd worn that expression when they were children, yet he'd still fallen for her finishing move again and again. It was his unending flaw as a duelist, his unwillingness to risk hurting a member of the weaker sex. For all his skill at defense, there were some attacks that could only be met by attacking in return.

She darted forward, ducking low as if she were aiming at his side, but angling the blade upward. The sharp tip of her weapon met with no resistance, sliding through silky white hair. And she froze in simple shock at this change in a routine they'd repeated for as long as she'd been old enough to hold a blade.

Yusuke let out an oath at the sharp clash of metal, not sure what had just happened. And Hiei reached out a hand without so much as raising an eyebrow. The sharp tip went right through his palm, but better that than Yusuke's forehead.

Hiei sniffed, pulling the narrow tip out of his hand and dropping the weapon with more distaste than outright pain on his face. He tossed his head and sent a glare over at Zechs.

"Watch where you knock things," Hiei warned. "You almost killed the baka."

"Oi! Kuwabara's the baka," Yusuke protested, "not me!"

Wufei blinked in surprise, looking over to where Zechs was. Their friend hadn't so much as glanced up to see where the girl's blade had flown. He was still standing over her, the tip of his weapon just brushing her throat. Dorothy looked as pale as Zechs' hair.

"Where..."

Dorothy swallowed and abruptly flushed an angry pink as she jerked away. "Where the hell did you learn that! You've never done anything like that!"

Zechs didn't answer, a very small smirk curving his lips at her outrage.

Dorothy glared, folding her arms. "You found another partner, didn't you. Picking up new tricks and not bothering to tell me about it!"

"You challenged me," Zechs reminded her. "And I did give you a handicap."

"Oi!" Yusuke called, glowering at the bloody blade still lying near his folded legs. "You nearly hit me, you know! And in case you didn't notice, you skewered Hiei."

Zechs turned to look back at them, his face paling when he saw the blood dripping from Hiei's hand. He hurried over to heal the wound, apologizing the entire way and leaving a frustrated Dorothy behind. She growled something along the lines of men and their secrets before stalking after him.

The girl retrieved her weapon, cleaning it with a small white cloth from her breast pocket. And Wufei frowned at her furious expression.

He still wasn't sure what had happened. He'd seen Zechs step to the side when she made her attack, and he'd turned, twisting his arm around and down. But her reaction to it made him wonder if she'd expected Zechs to just let her stab him.

"Why did that move surprise you?" asked Wufei.

Dorothy blinked, frowning at the boy. "Have you fenced? That sort of move only works with real blades. He could have easily snapped both of our weapons in our faces with that sort of thing. And besides that..."

She turned and shoved an accusatory finger at Zechs, who'd just finished healing Hiei's hand. "Since when do you know how to use real sword moves? Where did you run off to when you left here? And who taught you that!"

Her voice had risen as she spoke, and Zechs eased away from her warily, very conscious of his friends watching him.

"I haven't fenced since I left this kingdom," he said. "Real blades were used for duels, where I went."

"And where was that?" Dorothy prodded.

A faint, teasing look passed over Zechs' face, and he lifted his eyes to the ceiling as he shrugged. "Here and there."

The girl fumed at that, but Wufei wasn't paying her much attention. He was caught on the idea of Zechs dueling with real blades, something he was well acquainted with. Now he thought he knew why Zechs had looked so calm and controlled during the match – he'd had methods to use in a duel, but they would have been too dangerous with such thin, breakable blades. And that cool, knowing look he'd sent down at her when he'd stopped with his weapon at her throat...that was the look of someone who knew what it was like to lose to a worthy opponent.

It made Wufei wonder with whom Zechs had dueled in the past, and how the man would face up to a duel with him. Just days ago he'd been thinking that he wanted someone to spar with. Now, he found himself eyeing Zechs with an almost predatory smirk. He wanted to see how the former pacifist carried himself in a real fight.

"Are you up to another duel?" asked Wufei. "With real blades this time?"

Zechs turned in surprise, his expression thoughtful. Then he smiled. "Wufei, are you challenging me...?"

It was a sly, knowing smile. Wufei stared, part of him wanting to glance back and ask one of the others if Zechs had just propositioned him. There was something inherently...sexual about the way those words had come out, nothing like any tone he remembered having heard from Zechs. He was frankly nonplused. All he could think was that fighting really brought out a different side of Zechs.

Kurama caught both the innuendo, and Wufei's startled reaction to it. He hid a smirk behind his hand.

Dorothy didn't notice a thing, still frustrated that she was being left out of the loop. She glared at Zechs, demanding his attention.

"You can play with your friends later," said Dorothy. "I haven't seen you in years and here you come back and beat me so I don't even get that satisfaction. Do you have any idea who they tried to marry me off to after you left? It's a good thing I'm not a mutant, or you'd be really hurting for what you did."

Zechs closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It didn't quite manage to calm the anger in his gaze when he frowned down at the girl. "Have you not spoken to Relena? I was disowned. Even if my father didn't tell you, Relena should have when she told you I was back."

"She didn't tell me you were back," Dorothy sniffed. "I haven't seen her yet. And I don't care if you were disowned, you still could have said something before you ran off. Not that I'm really angry, but I have a right to be. You could at least look guilty or contrite about it."

"I am," Zechs said, his expression tired.

"You don't look it," she said. "But anyway, I'm actually glad you left. I thought you'd be relieved to know that I didn't pine over you or anything like that. I never really liked the idea of being stuck with you for the rest of my life, so after the initial humiliation, I didn't care. It's not like you're the first friend to be inconsiderate to me."

She waited for him to capitulate, for the guilty apology she'd expected the moment she cornered him on the front lawn. When he continued to give her that same, tired look, she glowered. "You've changed."

"It's been years," Zechs reminded her.

"I know that," Dorothy sniffed. "You fight better, but you're not nearly as fun to pick on as you used to be. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were getting stodgy in your old age."

"He is," Yusuke said suddenly, hopping to his feet and beaming at the startled girl. "Very stodgy. He's a stodgy old coot."

Dorothy stared for a minute, not sure who the boy was. Then she smirked in return.

"Too bad," she said to Zechs. "I guess I'll just have to tell Relena about my girlfriend. And here I thought you'd want to hear about it."

She turned with a wave of pale hair and flashed a wide smile back over her shoulder. "You would have liked her, Milliardo, if you were still you. Put this away for me."

That last bit was given along with her weapon – both tossed at Yusuke rather carelessly. He caught the blade easily enough, though, and grinned at the way Dorothy's skirt swayed as she walked away.

"Now that," Yusuke drawled, "is one fun lady. I can't believe they wanted to marry her to someone as boring as you."

Zechs raised an eyebrow at the boy, quite aware of his active imagination. "Don't finish that thought."

"Eh!" Yusuke rounded on him, his expression dramatically betrayed. "Are you reading my mind? What an invasion of privacy!"

"I don't need to," Zechs sniffed. "And besides, Dorothy never liked little boys. Even if she were interested in men, you're not mature enough for her."

Yusuke was bristling at the 'little boy' comment, but Kurama was still smirking at Dorothy's parting words. He placed a hand on Yusuke's shoulder, calmly pushing him back against the wall and avoiding any confrontation.

The girl was clearly in a relationship already, and a person would have to be blind not to realize Zechs was being protective of her the same way he would have been with Relena. As to Yusuke, Kurama already knew he wasn't interested in girls that way. He was just trying to rile Zechs.

"Didn't someone say something about a duel?" asked Kurama. "I'd be happy to show you to the weapons room if you're still interested."

Wufei sent a sharp look at Kurama. The redhead winked at him, and his eyebrow twitched in reaction.

He had a suspicion Kurama was playing matchmaker. He'd have to remember to tell him later that just because he wanted to duel with Zechs, that didn't mean he was interested in the man. He just wanted a worthy opponent. The fact that Zechs had smoldering ice-blue eyes when he fought, and an arousing smirk when he won, had absolutely nothing to do with it.

TBC

notes-  
Next part will focus on Kurama, Quatre, and Duo.


	34. Unraveling

Vague fusion with the original X-men animated series.

This Part: Featured characters include Quatre (3x4), Duo, and Hiei.

AMV: www . geocities . com / arigatomina / gmen . html

Category: Yaoi, Anime, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho  
Warnings: shonen ai, minor angst  
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, Kurama-Hiei, will be 6x5  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Website: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Gmen**

_Part 34: Unraveling_

Trowa woke to a sharp cry of pain. Next to him on the bed, Quatre seemed to be suffering from some sort of attack. The boy was curled in on himself so tightly his muscles trembled at the strain. Eyes locked on that pale face, Trowa pulled him up.

"What is it?" Trowa asked anxiously.

Quatre had assured him he'd suffered no lasting harm from being exposed to his unrestrained power the day before. The boy had told him about the filter Kuwabara had helped him create. He'd been outright giddy with happiness over the success. Remembering that, Trowa was immediately sure Quatre's current condition was unrelated.

"Quatre?"

It hurt too much to speak, to even care about the concern evident in Trowa's voice. Quatre's teeth were clenched, and he hissed through them, his words garbled and faint.

"Don't," Quatre whispered. "Hurts. Too fast to..."

He held himself tighter, struggling to curl into a more protective ball. He didn't understand why he was being held still where the pain could get him so easily. Why couldn't he move his arms? Why did it burn inside, eating away at him? How long, how long, a lifetime of pain, holding him, tearing, burning.

"Please stop, I can't...! Too much..."

The words melted into a soft keening cry, and Trowa's panic shut down sharply. His eyes locked on Quatre's wide, blind gaze. The reading was sudden and concise, cutting through the confusion and diving right into the source. He could feel the pain, a crushing well of it, with an essence he only knew from a distance. Quatre's suffering was faint compared to this. Trowa withdrew seconds later with resolve and a name.

"Filter it," said Trowa. His voice was cold, without a hint of compassion. "Make a filter on the pain like you did with me. If you can't block it, at least separate yourself from it so it won't hurt you so much."

"I'm trying but it hurts," Quatre whimpered. Tears filled his eyes, but he couldn't see anyway. The pain was a bloody, blinding veil that obscured everything. "It burns," he cried, "tearing me... What is it? Why is it...?"

Trowa's expression hardened at the helpless tone. He grabbed Quatre's hair, near that still tender spot where the boy had struck the tree the day before, and jerked that blonde head back. The unexpected force surprised Quatre enough to lock bloodshot eyes on him.

"Block it," Trowa ordered. "Do it now."

Quatre gasped, confusion shining through his tears. "You're...hurting me...? Why...?"

Those eyes tore at him, but Trowa locked away the emotion, keeping his gaze clear and determined. His left hand rose to catch Quatre's shoulder, fingers digging in nearly tight enough to break the boy's collar bone.

"This is your pain," Trowa hissed, directly into Quatre's ear, "feel the difference. That, that isn't yours. You don't have to feel that...!"

The confusion thickened, with deep emotional hurt that mingled the sensations of physical and psychic pain. Quatre sobbed, lost in the middle of it. He didn't understand anything except that he was in pain, and now Trowa was hurting him too, Trowa, who'd sooner die than hurt him.

_'Don't...Trowa, don't. It hurts, pulling me and I can't...can't breathe. Please, please hear me, I can't breathe...! I need...help. Trowa...? Tro-'_

It struck him like a gale, staggering him as if he were being wrapped in a numbing shock of wind. That feeling, of having Trowa's presence curl around his psyche, was enough to separate him from his physical body. Just for a moment, just long enough for Quatre to see himself standing outside that plate window, that filter.

His palms were pressed flat against it as he looked in to see Trowa on the other side, staring back with warm, welcoming eyes. Quatre opened his mouth but couldn't seem to find a voice to speak with. He moved so their hands were together, only that thin glass separating them, and he longed to go through, needing to feel him.

He could hear that clamoring behind him, his heart contracting with pain beyond physical sensation. And he whimpered without sound, pressing his hands hard against the glass that had taken so long to form. Now he wanted to tear it down, anything to get to the boy on the other side.

A whisper reached him, but it was too quiet to hear. He couldn't hear him through that pane of glass, could see Trowa's lips moving as he spoke, but couldn't hear the words. Quatre leaned closer, struggling to hear over that pain in his heart.

_'...to section it off...another window like this...filter...don't have to block it out...only keep it from taking you over...'_

The words were so calm compared to the storm raging behind him, that Quatre grasped them tightly, hiding them away where that pain couldn't touch them. He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to the glass, feeling the heat of it, so much hotter than even the pain. He was trying to remember how he'd made this filter, to concentrate enough to remember, to imagine a shield coming up between him and that encompassing pain. But he couldn't do it alone, not alone. He'd had help before, to pull him out, an anchor.

He opened his eyes, meaning to ask Trowa for help, and stared at the empty space. There was nothing beyond the window but blackness. Quatre reacted with fear bordering on stark terror.

_'Trowa!'_

Quatre jerked, opening his eyes with a ragged breath. "Trowa...!"

The blonde boy lunged forward, catching him in a tight embrace, and Trowa let out a shaky breath of his own.

Strong arms moved around him, but it wasn't enough. "Tighter," Quatre whispered, crushing himself in that embrace. "Hold me tighter. It still hurts..."

Pain and fear erupted at those words, but Trowa obeyed, his arms pulling the boy closer. "You can't block it out...?"

"I have," said Quatre, "but I can still feel it inside. My heart, my heart hurts from it. But...it's not my pain..."

"I know."

Quatre pushed back, just enough to look up at Trowa. "I've never felt anything like-"

He stopped suddenly, that emotional pain fading away to be replaced with a more personal pain, his pain. And he blinked back tears, horrified at what he was seeing.

"Trowa," he whispered, as he reached up to brush the dampness on the other boy's face. "You're crying..."

Panic and hurt shivered over him, and Quatre shook his head furiously. "Please don't," he whispered. "I'm sorry if I scared you, I didn't meant to worry you, just please don't-"

Trowa stopped him with a tender, loving kiss. But his expression was so sad Quatre caught his breath to keep from sobbing against him.

"I hurt you," Trowa explained, his voice a hoarse whisper, "intentionally. I never thought I'd do that, but I did. I knew exactly what I was doing...and I did it anyway. If you hadn't reacted to me I would have hurt you more..."

"Hurt me?" asked Quatre, confusion swamping his pale face. "When did you...?"

Trowa answered by brushing a hand over the boy's shoulder, pressing lightly on the bruising flesh. Quatre gave a little cry of surprise and reached up to touch the area himself. It was very tender, already darkening, as if he'd been struck there. But he didn't remember Trowa doing it.

A glance at Trowa's face told him the boy had done it, his expression was heart-wrenching. Quatre gave a mournful cry and pulled him down into a warm embrace.

"Oh, Trowa," he whispered, smiling through his tears, "don't look like that. I forgive you, of course I do. You brought me out of it. No one else could have. I saw you, Trowa, in my mind. I saw you there, through the window. Before all I could see of you was a storm, but I saw you this time, the real, beautiful you..."

"I dropped my guard," said Trowa, more shaken by the admission than anything. "I could barely see you through it, it was so dark on my side, but I could feel the pain you were in. I could see it trying to take you away, to drown you in it."

Quatre nodded against Trowa's neck, unwilling to let even an inch separate them. "I have never felt anything like that, and it's still there. Heero. I don't understand what's happening to him. Even now that I know what it is all I can feel...all I can get from him is that pain. I can feel his pain, but nothing else. Not even a thought..."

"He's unconscious," said Trowa, "so the sensation is all he knows. I don't know why you're feeling it unless you've made a connection to your friends."

"Yes," said Quatre, "he's in my heart. That's where the pain is, my heart."

He turned his face, ducking it so his words were spoken against Trowa's warm neck. "We have to help him. But I don't know where he is, or who's hurting him..."

Trowa's eyes narrowed and he was silent for a moment, not sure what to say. "You didn't read Heero before he left...? He isn't being attacked, Quatre. He knew this would happen when he left, he just didn't know any of us would feel it. He didn't want us to worry about him, so he didn't tell us what he was going to do."

Quatre shivered at that, holding Trowa tighter. "Will Duo feel this? Heero's all alone. If Duo knew...it would tear him apart."

"We won't tell him," Trowa said decisively. "Heero didn't want any of us to know, but especially not Duo."

"And now he's all alone..."

.-.

There was an air of foreboding at the table that morning. Duo, who'd been the first to join Zechs, was on his fourth cup of coffee – black, no sugar – and had circles under his eyes. Wufei, who often woke early from disturbing, but immediately forgotten dreams, sympathized with him. He hadn't been long before joining the two, though he'd gotten considerably more sleep.

Trowa and Quatre were notably subdued, the faint redness in the blonde boy's eyes hinting that they'd had their own disturbing incident that morning. They didn't speak of it as they sat to tea, not in the mood for food any more than their friends were.

If not for Hiei, the table could have been occupied by ghosts, for all they were silent and moody. Hiei was devouring seeded cheese buns directly off the platter, which he'd selfishly taken back to the table with him.

Kurama watched with amused eyes and a knowing smile, sipping on his tea and content to let Hiei eat for the both of them. He hadn't eaten much of anything the last two days, so it was about time he caught up.

Zechs waited until Hiei had finished to give the news he'd been holding back since before Duo came down. He got their attention by pushing his chair away from the table.

"Relena came down earlier," he said. "She's going to a meeting with some of the neighboring leaders later this morning. There will be OZ officials there as well, so I'm going to accompany her. At this point they must know where we are. They haven't made a move yet, but I don't trust them enough to let her go by herself."

He turned to look pointedly at Hiei. "Yukina plans to join her."

"No."

Kurama winced at the way Hiei glared. He dropped a hand to the boy's shoulder and shook his head at him.

"I'll speak with her," Kurama promised. "I'm sure if I went to keep an eye on Relena, Yukina-chan would agree to stay here. She wouldn't try to go with her if she weren't concerned."

"She has a right to be concerned," said Zechs. "I don't trust this. Relena told me the meeting was originally scheduled for a month from now. OZ requested they have it today instead."

"You're expecting some sort of attack on the Sanq envoy, then?" asked Trowa. "If so, you should have someone else with you who has offensive skills."

He nodded to Kurama. "Not that we don't trust your strength. OZ knows Zechs is with us, so they're more likely to keep quiet if they know who they're up against. I doubt they're aware of your power."

"Oh, I'm not offended," Kurama smiled. "I was going to suggest that myself. Perhaps Wufei would like to join us?"

Wufei's eyebrow twitched at the smile Kurama turned on him, and he resisted the urge to squirm in his seat. Now there was no doubt in his mind that the redhead was playing matchmaker. His duel with Zechs had been cut short the day before, Relena showing up to remind Zechs of his manners and dragging him off to socialize with her and Dorothy. Wufei suspected Kurama was looking for any chance to get the two of them together again.

He was considering how to answer that question when a hand clapped down on his shoulder.

"Join you where?" asked Yusuke. "I'm game."

The boy grinned and drug a chair over so he sat between Duo and Wufei, both of whom sent him uncertain looks.

Kurama gave a quick smile. "It's a meeting of foreign dignitaries, very boring. And besides, you wouldn't want to miss your match with Hiei, now would you? He isn't likely to reschedule it."

"Are you going without him?" Yusuke returned, raising an eyebrow. "He wouldn't fight at full power if he's busy worrying about you. So there's no point in a match until you get back."

Hiei, surprising to everyone, admitted as much, nodding with a dark glower. Hiei didn't look at all happy about it, but Kurama was quite smug to hear it.

"I don't think there's a real need to have three extra mutants go," said Zechs. "But Relena can bring a few guests, so long as they aren't open bodyguards. You'd have to be discreet. She and I will be the only ones allowed into the conference room, since I'm the technical heir to this country, and she's the current leader. That would leave the three of you outside the doors. Chances are nothing will happen and you'll just be sitting for a few hours in the waiting room."

"But good to have us there just in case, right?" Kurama smiled. "I'll just go speak to Yukina-chan, then."

.-.

Duo didn't say anything as the four mutants took their leave. He, Trowa, and Quatre had seen them to Relena's personal plane, but the only fanfare was Kurama blowing a kiss to seemingly no one. Few of the people around the airfield noticed the black shadow that had stayed back near the building. So none of them saw Hiei's eyebrow twitch at the playful gesture.

Then they were gone, and Duo found himself walking back towards the school a few paces behind his friends. He was relieved that they weren't acting sappy at the moment, but their silence, and Quatre's continued glances back at him, were irritating to put up with. They seemed to think he was upset to have been left behind. Again.

He wasn't upset, just angry. Of course he couldn't go with Wufei, not when he still wasn't able to use his powers without getting dizzy. He'd tried that morning, after waking up in a cold sweat. Just a few minutes of invisibility and he'd felt light-headed. It made him wonder if he'd still be in a coma if Kuwabara and Yukina hadn't leant him their energy. He was pathetic.

The thought served to darken his mood even more, his shoulders hunching a few more inches as he slowed his walk. The happy couple were getting further away, but he knew he only had a minute or two before Quatre would glance back again. The blonde boy seemed obsessed with sneaking looks at him this morning. He probably expected him to have an emotional breakdown, or to throw a temper tantrum at not getting to go along on the trip.

Duo rolled his eyes, and sidestepped off the path that was taking them back to the school. He'd probably worry Quatre by disappearing, but the boy could always read his mind to find out where he'd gone. He just didn't want to be stuck in that school, without even Wufei for company. The last thing he wanted to do was to watch Trowa and Quatre hang on each other all day.

So they were happy with each other, good for them. But seeing it twisted the wound for Duo. He needed a distraction.

The pair didn't notice when he slipped away. Or if they did notice, they didn't comment on it until he was out of hearing range. Duo took the set of stone steps carved into the hill to the side of the school. He hadn't really explored much, but as far as he could tell everything downhill eventually led into the forest.

There was an early morning chill in the air, just crisp enough to make Duo glad he'd brought a jacket. He flicked the collar up to block his ears and longed for his cap. He'd lost it somewhere between the old safehouse, the hotel, and here. With it, he could have ducked his head so none of the shopkeepers sweeping the walkways would see his face. From the way they stared he thought they rarely saw students out this early.

Duo picked up his pace to a brisk walk and did his best to ignore the curious eyes that followed him. He was so set on the sidewalk beneath his feet that he didn't notice when the people stopped watching him. There was a sudden silence, where a general murmur had been a moment before. He'd missed the looks, but the quiet got his attention.

He paused to glance back at the shop he'd just passed. An older man had been setting up a rack of discounted clothing outside his bright window when Duo walked by, and he'd stopped to stare with unabashed curiosity. Now the man was studying the price tags, almost pointedly looking at everything that would keep his back to the sidewalk. And the other people, who'd been staring just as rudely, were now minding their business studiously. From Duo's eyes, it was almost eerie.

He shrugged it off as well as he could and the rest of the walk was uneventful. It really reminded him of how the people had avoided Kurama by crossing to the other side of the road. Instead of loitering outside to stare at him, the people ducked back in before he got more than a few feet from them. And while it did make him feel rather like a leper, it was amusing after a while. By the time he reached the forest he was nursing a small, fleeting smile.

Duo hadn't planned out what he'd do once he reached the forest. He couldn't practice his talents the way the others had here, so that ruled out anything industrious. He started down the path opposite the one Kurama had sent them on the day before. He hadn't been in that part of the forest yet, so it was at least new scenery.

The sun hadn't even started to creep into the forest yet, but the birds were already waking with chirruping, repetitive and high pitched whistles. Duo grimaced up at the treetops and kicked a nearby bush, just to be spiteful. He promptly jumped back as something fat, dark, and furry scurried over his foot in its haste to seek shelter in the underbrush on the other side of the path.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say that was a beaver," Duo breathed, grinning at the bushes the thing had ducked into.

The nearest bush shivered at his words and he could swear he saw beady eyes where the large rodent was still watching him. The birds had dimmed, disturbed by his presence, but they soon started up again. Duo wrinkled his nose at the sounds that were bound to give him a pounding headache before long. Then he broke into a light jog up the path, scoping the terrain before increasing to a run that blocked out all sound except wind rushing past his ears.

It brought back memories, running unseen through a forest, far from prying eyes. He could feel that old solitary survivor instinct waking with energetic plans. Food first and a place to hide while he watched the nearest base to memorize the shift changes, picking his choice of weapon based on the number of guards, sneaking in and listening to random snatches of conversation that might give him his next target, and then the kill and escape, always noting the fastest way out once alarm klaxons were screaming off the walls.

It hadn't been a happy way of life, but he'd been busy. He'd never had the time to stop and mope or think too much. Even going on foot from base to base had kept his mind on survival, noting everything around him and not worrying about what was inside him. Since then he'd become so self involved he probably wouldn't have noticed if a group of soldiers were tailing him.

The thought was disturbing, bringing a bolt of unease. Duo stopped, his breaths silent despite how long it had been since he'd run. He had a horrid suspicion that something was wrong, that he really had failed to notice something that should have come naturally with his instincts. It was enough to make him lift his gaze in sweeps over the forest, almost afraid that he'd see a few armed men casually aiming at him.

The people on the streets had behaved strangely. They'd seen him before, going alone that first time and then again with the others. When he'd been by himself, they had stared the entire time. They hadn't looked away until he was with his friends. So why had they stopped watching him this time?

He didn't see anything, but that feeling of something being off had increased dramatically. He held his breath for a moment, listening to the forest. Then he realized what it was. The birds had gone silent. And since he hadn't seen anything on the ground, that only left...

Duo stared up at the canopy for a second before breaking into a small, confused smile. "Are you stalking me?"

"Yes."

The simple response nearly made him laugh. Duo shook his head and raised an eyebrow at the shadow he'd spotted, nestled close and casual in a nearby tree.

"Why don't you come down," said Duo. "You might as well. It's not like I could outrun you, anyway."

Hiei sniffed and shoved off the tree, landing in a crouch a few feet from Duo. He eyed the boy's smile for a second before looking away. "You shouldn't be out here alone."

Duo blinked in surprise, a little insulted. "Since when? The rest of the students come out here as much as they want in the mornings. Why shouldn't I?"

"Why did you come out here?" asked Hiei.

Since Hiei wasn't looking at him, he didn't see the way Duo glared before turning away. He started walking again, and Hiei trailed after him.

"I didn't want to be a third wheel," he admitted. "It's not like Trowa and Quatre have had that much time to be alone these days."

"They aren't alone now," said Hiei. "They're with that woman you brought. And Yukina."

Duo glanced back to see Hiei scowling at the forest to the side of the path. "I take it you don't like her being there?"

"Kurama said that woman is a member of OZ," Hiei glared. "Yukina shouldn't be anywhere near her."

"Don't worry, Quatre wouldn't let Une say anything mean to Yukina. She has this soft side, Une does, so she likes Yukina. I doubt there's anything to worry about. Une wouldn't hurt Yukina any more than that Kuwabara guy would."

Though he'd been trying to help, Duo knew he'd said the worst possible thing. Hiei ground to a halt and looked like he didn't know whether to glare or grimace in disgust. His mottled expression made Duo grin weakly.

"I guess it's hard having a little sister," said Duo. "I wouldn't know, myself."

Hiei looked away in visible discomfort, and Duo frowned at him, something niggling in the back of his mind. "If Yukina's back at the school, shouldn't you be there watching out for her? That was the reason Kurama left, right? So you could keep an eye on Yukina?"

"She's with your friends," Hiei frowned, glancing back at Duo again. "Where you should be."

"So what is it? You're here to bring me back?" Duo glared, all of his frustration rising up to knot in his throat. "I may not be at the top of my strength, but I can still get the hell out of dodge if my life depends on it. I'm not helpless no matter what crap Heero told you guys."

"He," Hiei ground out, his dislike of Heero audible in his tone, "didn't tell me anything. Kurama did."

"Then Kurama told you to follow me around?" Duo prodded. "Isn't he a busybody."

Hiei blinked wide eyes at that term, dismissing the ideas that popped up as possible definitions. "A busy...body?"

It was really hard to stay angry when Hiei was wearing such a confused expression. Duo grinned cheekily. "I didn't mean it that way, but I guess you'd know if he had a busy body or not."

The boy continued to frown at him, and Duo waved a hand. "I just meant he likes to stick his nose in other people's business. Like what he was doing with Wufei this morning. If I didn't know you and Kurama were a couple, I'd think he was hitting on him."

Hiei raised an eyebrow. "You mean flirting?"

"Right," said Duo. "It was the way he invited Wufei to go with him. And how he was trying to get Yusuke to stay behind, like he wanted the two of them to be alone. It's nice that you trust Kurama so much. If it were me, I'd probably be furious at having my lover flirt with someone else right in front of me."

"Lover?"

Duo turned to find Hiei looking shell-shocked, and he wondered for a moment how anyone's eyes could be so wide. "Last I heard, you guys were lovers or related. Since you're definitely not related, that leaves the other option. Did you really think no one noticed? He talks about you all the time. And as possessive as you got after that incident with Zechs it was pretty obvious."

He shrugged and glanced away, not seeing how Hiei's face had drawn into a frown. "I guess since you've been together so long you don't really think about how noticeable it is. Not like me and Heero. We barely get along, and he definitely isn't one for public displays of affection."

Duo shook his head, changing the subject quickly. "Anyway, it's really nice that you're so willing to stay behind while Kurama goes off by himself. Though I'd be more worried about him being alone with Wufei, than about an attack."

"He doesn't want your friend," Hiei said sharply, frowning at the obviously faked cheer Duo was putting on. "He wants to see him with Zechs."

"No way!"

Duo blinked a few times before closing his gaping mouth. "Zechs? But the two of them barely even talk to each other."

"You weren't there yesterday when they dueled," Hiei sniffed. "Kurama says there's chemistry. Idiot fox."

A duel? Chemistry between Zechs and Wufei?

Duo knew he'd been left out of the loop on a lot of things, between his mishap while training, and missing lunch the day before. But Wufei and Zechs having chemistry and him not noticing? Wufei would have told him.

Only if it were a recent development, Wufei wouldn't have said a word about it. The thought that his friend was holding things back, probably so he wouldn't bother Duo now that Heero was gone, made Duo feel that much more separated from the group. And Kurama playing matchmaker to his best friend – that was the worst blow of all.

"If anyone is going to set Wufei up," Duo growled, "it should be me."

Hiei blinked at the boy's glare, raising an eyebrow. "Are you jealous of Kurama?"

"No, but you should be," Duo rounded. "He's off having fun with my friend and you're stuck here tailing me around the woods. That's hardly fair. Then again, if I were him I wouldn't want you spending time with me either. Hell, Heero got jealous if Wufei so much as looked at me."

"Kurama does what he wants," said Hiei. "I don't control who he looks at."

"Really?" Now it was Duo's turn to raise an eyebrow in disbelief. "As angry as you got when Zechs looked in Kurama's mind?"

"Zechs had no right," Hiei said sharply, "because he was not invited."

"Then, if Kurama wanted him, you wouldn't argue...?"

"No."

That answer was given coldly, but Hiei didn't meet his eyes. Duo shook his head in simple confusion. "Why the hell not?"

"It's his choice to make."

Hiei knew Duo wouldn't understand and he didn't plan to explain. The boy thought they were lovers. How he and Kurama had given that impression, Hiei didn't know. It was obvious someone had twisted their relationship into something it wasn't, and had repeated the rumor to Duo. Hiei just hoped Kurama didn't hear of it. He was sure that sort of talk would make the fox decidedly uncomfortable.

For all that Kurama seemed confident, he was wary of what he considered sexual contact. Hiei knew. It had been over two years since Kurama had decided they couldn't shower together anymore, as if he expected Hiei to attack him if he showed his body. He'd been disturbed at first, knowing that Kurama didn't trust him, but he'd come to accept it. And he'd learned quickly, how to hide anything that might make the fox uneasy.

That had led to their sparring routine, the perfect distraction with an added benefit of increasing Kurama's fighting skills. Hiei had made sure that if the fox did find someone he wanted that way, he'd be able to protect himself. And that, which was more than he could do for Yukina, was enough to be grateful for. Kurama loved him. He wouldn't ask for more than that.

Only, there was that kiss the other day, which Hiei still hadn't found a good explanation for. Kurama had clearly been horrified afterward, even afraid. Two years and he still expected Hiei to attack him? And if so, why had he looked so happy when he returned the kiss?

Hiei wasn't so innocent that he didn't recognize passion. Kurama hadn't been horrified that he'd kissed someone, he'd been horrified that he'd kissed Hiei. It wasn't sexual contact the fox was afraid of, but the thought of having such contact with him. As much as Hiei had tried to hide his attraction, he knew somewhere along the line he'd failed.

Now it was only a matter of how long he had before Kurama found someone he wasn't afraid of. And with Yukina's growing interest in Kuwabara, Hiei knew there was no chance of Kurama choosing her. That had been his hope, that Kurama would choose her and he could keep them both. He couldn't even begin to imagine what he'd do without them.

Duo didn't know what to make of Hiei. It was clear to him that while the boy might stand by and let his lover leave, he'd mourn the loss. So why would he stand by and suffer that? Was Duo selfish in comparison, or not in the same sort of loving relationship?

He knew he'd never accept Heero leaving him for someone else. Oh, not to say that Heero wouldn't do it. At the moment Duo wouldn't put anything past him. But he couldn't accept it without a fight. He wasn't some toy Heero could use and discard when he found someone he liked better. If there was any ownership in their relation, Heero belonged to him, and he'd damn well tell him as much when the boy dragged his sorry ass back there.

Forget moping around and feeling abandoned, Heero deserved a railing at least twice as bad as the one he'd given Duo for overusing his power. And the more Duo thought about it, the more he was sure he'd looked at this situation the wrong way. Heero had left him because he'd let the boy go. That was unacceptable. He'd be damned before he'd let some guy walk out on him.

"I guess that means I'm damned," Duo muttered, glaring crossly at his folded arms. "But see if I do that again. When I get my hands on him..."

Hiei had looked up when Duo spoke. Now, he leaned back a bit, not sure what to think of the strangling motions Duo was making with his hands. He raised an eyebrow at the boy's almost murderous expression. He almost asked Duo what he was talking about, but decided against it. Something else had caught his attention.

He never saw the boy move. Duo's mind had a brief memory of Heero pushing him off the bed at the safehouse, as he was shoved back and up too quickly to react. One moment he'd been standing a few feet from Hiei, and the next he was hanging over a thirteen foot drop with an arm around his waist as the only thing supporting him. And all he could do was stare in shock as something exploded on the path where they'd been standing.

Their attacker was a brief slender black outline that lasted no longer than the explosion had. Hiei's jagan had reacted to the presence with a recognition of power and little else. Now he could make out a vague green energy shadow where the person had stood, the same type that was fading out from the torn ground below them. He didn't get a clear rank from that brief exposure, but the small crater in the path made it obvious that the mutant was powerful enough to be a danger.

He sent one last at the surrounding area, his jagan reading for any sign of energy, but spotted nothing but that residue. His arms shifted, turning Duo to face him so the boy lay half over his shoulder. It would be awkward, but he had no time to move slowly and he couldn't leave Duo by himself any more than he could stay out here while Yukina was alone in the school.

Duo choked from both humiliation and the shoulder he was lying over. He didn't stop to marvel that Hiei could carry him and still jump from tree to tree without so much as breaking a limb with their added weight. He was too caught on the fact that the smaller boy was carrying him like a sack of potatoes. Face a dark red, Duo caught hold of the back of Hiei's cloak and did his best to speak while bent over a hard moving shoulder.

"Put me down," Duo managed.

"There's no time," Hiei answered tightly, not slowing a bit.

"I know that!"

Duo groaned as he was jarred from a far jump, the landing of which shook leaves free from the limb – his weight more than Hiei's, he was sure. "But I can get us there in a second! You're going to the school, right? Just stop long enough for me to breathe and I'll take us there!"

Despite his order, Duo was surprised when Hiei stopped dead and tipped him onto his feet. He swayed for a moment, since the limb was far too narrow for his liking. Then he reached out and caught Hiei's shoulders, pulling the boy into a sort of embrace as he focused on the safest place in the school. A second later they disappeared.

TBC

notes-  
Next part will focus on Quatre, Hiei, and Kurama.


	35. Rogue Mutant

**Author's Note:** Special thanks go out to Chrissy Sky for her lovely fanart of Kurama and Hiei from Part 32. You can see the picture on my page for this fic –  
**www . geocities . com / arigatomina / gmenpage . html**

Vague fusion with the original X-men animated series.  
This Part: Featured characters include Quatre, Hiei, and Kurama.  
**Awakening Arc:** There are 10 parts to this arc, and then Gmen will end with Part 41 or 42. A sequel is likely, but I'm thinking connected one-shots rather than another multi-parter.

Category: Yaoi, Anime, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho  
Warnings: violence, blood, minor angst, shonen ai  
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, Kurama-Hiei, reference to 13x6, will be 6x5  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Website: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Gmen**

_Part 35: Rogue Mutant_

The meeting turned out to be every bit as boring and quiet as Zechs had warned it might be, at least for the three mutants sitting in the waiting room. A few servants had passed through the room and offered refreshments to the little group, but aside from them, they'd been left to themselves since Zechs and Relena had joined the people filing into the meeting hall. It was, as Yusuke so eloquently put it, boring as hell.

Even the servants failed as a source of entertainment. They were obviously wary of the three teens, as if they knew they were mutants just by looking at them. But they were still rigidly polite and brisk.

They were sitting there, in the small half-circled waiting area a few yards from the main doors, when they saw him. The uniform immediately put Wufei on guard, but he was careful not to stare at it for long. They'd seen quite a few OZ officials so far, and not one had seemed to recognize him. He wasn't going to draw attention to himself. They were there to protect Relena – and Zechs – not to cause trouble themselves.

The man crossed in front of them, clearly late for the meeting if his quick pace said anything. But he caught himself a few steps past them and glanced back with a flash of surprise. A slow smirk spread over his face and he turned to them, gleaming brown eyes caught on Kurama for a moment before shifting over to Wufei.

"How interesting," he murmured, "to have mutants attend the meeting."

Wufei was on guard immediately, as was Kurama. They didn't recognize him since OZ kept no visual records of its officials, but the emblem on his collar spoke of rank. Yusuke seemed a little confused since he didn't have any history with OZ, but the man's smirk put him on edge. He scowled at the stranger.

"I knew you'd go to the Sanq Kingdom," the man was saying to Wufei, "but you should have stayed there."

The familiar tone struck sharper than the words. Wufei didn't speak, his expression hostile and guarded. Maybe there really were pictures of the six of them from their time spent with Une, information available to identify him and his friends to any OZ officer who happened to spot them. But Wufei thought it was more than that. He had an idea he knew who the man was.

The man turned his taunting smirk on Kurama, not seeming to mind the dangerous golden sheen on those dark green eyes.

"But you, I didn't think to see you here. I never expected you to leave your partner. It's a shame. An acquaintance of mine was looking forward to meeting you. There are so few Quest class mutants these days. He's going to be so disappointed..."

Kurama had gone rigid, and Yusuke scowled in utter confusion. He jumped to his feet and sent the bold man an exasperated look. "Who the hell are you?"

A disinterested look swept over Yusuke, sizing him up and finding him wanting. Then the man smiled at Kurama and Wufei and turned on his heel. He crossed to the wide doors and paused for a parting shot at Wufei.

"I'm disappointed," he said, "that you don't even know the face of your enemy."

The moment he was gone, Yusuke rounded on his friends, particularly Wufei. "What was that all about?"

"I think," Wufei said slowly, angrily, "that we've just met Treize Cushrenada."

"Who?"

"The leader of OZ," said Wufei. "There aren't any pictures of him, but the way he acted I'm sure of it. He'd know as much about us as Zechs does."

Kurama shook his head and stood up, his shoulders visibly tense. His voice was soft and eerily calm, compared to the shifting bits of gold that swam in his eyes. "You must realize the ones we've left behind are likely in danger."

"From the OZ guy?" asked Yusuke. "But if he's here, then-"

"The meeting is supposed to end soon," Wufei frowned, shooting a dark look at the closed doors. "If that was a ploy to send us running back, it would leave Zechs and Relena alone here. We'd have to separate."

"Wait just a second," Yusuke said loudly. He scowled when Kurama and Wufei both turned to glare at him. "I'll call them and give them a heads-up. Do you really think anyone could get past Hiei if he were ready for it? Just keep your shirts on while I look for a phone."

Having the often flighty Yusuke given him cold calm reason was enough to knock Kurama out of his glare. He gave a sharp nod and took his seat again, dropping his eye without a word. Maybe he had been a little quick in wanting to run back to the Sanq Kingdom, but he couldn't help his reaction.

Wufei was more open. He actually flushed a little when he broke off his glare. It wasn't like him to forget the most obvious course of action, but Treize – if that man was Treize – had ruffled him more than he cared to admit. Zechs hadn't talked much about the information he'd given during his time with OZ, but the idea of an enemy knowing all about his personal history was hard to swallow.

Yusuke waited long enough to give a smug smirk. Then he turned to find a telephone.

.-.

A light knock interrupted the quiet chat between Une and Yukina. Trowa answered it, leaving Quatre to his work. This little impromptu meeting was going well than they'd thought. Not only was the Lady talking with Yukina, but also Quatre. Une seemed to have decided to take the day off, offering only the slightest resistance before fading out.

A teenage girl was standing in the hall when Trowa opened the door, and he didn't recognize her. She had short, dark blue hair and eyes of the same color. Her smile was just a tad shy when she looked up at him.

"There's a call for you," she said quickly. "He said it was an urgent message from the Sanq envoy, so I looked through the register to find out which room you were in. You are Trowa Barton, aren't you?"

Trowa nodded and glanced back into the room. He told Quatre about the call and shut the door behind him. The girl motioned for him to follow as she led the way to Relena's office. Along the way, she commented on how strange the caller had been. He didn't sound old enough to be a part of the envoy. From that information, Trowa rightly decided it was Yusuke calling, and not Kurama or Wufei.

A few minutes after Trowa left, Quatre's door was thrown open. Yukina let out a little gasp and Une moved to shield the girl, surprising Quatre so much he nearly fell off his bed. Then his attention was drawn to the fast figure who flitted over to stand before them.

"Downstairs," Hiei said sharply, being careful to look at Quatre and not Yukina. "Now. It isn't safe here."

A dozen questions sprung to mind, but Quatre didn't stop to voice them. He nodded to Yukina and started to escort her out of the room. Hiei stopped him before he got very far.

"Take her, too," he said, nodding to Une. The woman was frowning at him suspiciously, still seated on the bed. "She may be a target."

"I don't think anyone knows she's here," said Quatre.

He didn't argue, though, and he was glad the Lady was still in control. She stood and followed Yukina as obediently as Yukina had followed him. Hiei trailed behind, his eyes darting around as if he expected someone to burst through the wall at them.

Despite the unknown threat that made Hiei want to relocate them, Quatre found himself hesitating over the Lady's behavior. She'd moved with the quickness of a soldier when Hiei had burst into the room, instinctively trying to protect Yukina. As far as Quatre knew, the Lady didn't have those sort of reflexes, Une did. It made him wonder if Une were as deep as he'd thought, or if she were merely biding her time. Bringing her along could be more dangerous than leaving her in the room.

These thoughts at the front of Quatre's mind, so he stumbled when Hiei was suddenly in front of them again. He saw that they'd reached the door to the downstairs chamber and stood back so Hiei could open it. Then he prodded his two charges, since Hiei was still ignoring Yukina's presence, and followed them in. Then he forgot them completely in favor of running to the body that lay near the glassed rest area.

"Duo!"

Quatre crouched beside his friend, sighing when he found the boy asleep. He turned to look back at Hiei, who was now standing near the door in sentry position. "What happened?"

Hiei glared at the door, his head ducking just a bit. "He teleported us here. I didn't know it would wear him out so much. There wasn't any time to waste."

"You let him use his powers?" asked Quatre, more than a little reproachful.

He regretted his tone when Hiei's shoulders hunched. Duo was lying on his side, head pillowed by a familiar black cloak. The boy wasn't in a coma state, so there was no reason to make Hiei feel any worse than he already did. Quatre stood and crossed to Une and Yukina, putting him closer to Hiei.

"What's the danger?" he asked.

Hiei shot a sharp look at Une and shook his head. "Put her in the second room in the hall and keep her there. If you can't put her to sleep, I'll knock her out myself."

No longer sympathetic to Hiei, Quatre scowled at the callousness of that order. He caught the Lady's mind and sent her to the room without anything as violent as Hiei had in mind. Just that light bit of controlling left him tired afterward, but he didn't mention that aloud. He was sure Hiei would carry out his threat if he couldn't put the woman to sleep on his own.

"Now what is the danger," Quatre repeated. "Why did you want us to move down here?"

"A mutant attacked us in the forest," Hiei said, staring hard at the door. "I couldn't follow him afterward. I don't know what his target is, but it could be that woman. I want everyone in one place."

"I'll get Trowa," said Quatre. "There was a phone call from the meeting. It may have something to do with this rogue mutant."

Hiei's eyes narrowed at that, but he couldn't argue with the boy. While it would have been better for him to go, that would leave Yukina and Duo protected only by Quatre. He wasn't about to stake his sister's life on Quatre's controlling abilities, especially when the boy looked pained just from making a woman fall asleep. Yes, he'd noticed the expression that had crossed Quatre's face when he'd used his talent. It seemed Duo wasn't the only one pushing his limits.

"Be quick about it," said Hiei. "Don't waste time looking for him, but if you see the...Kuwabara, bring him with you."

Yukina beamed at that statement, and Quatre gave a faint smile at Hiei's miserable scowl.

"I'll do that," Quatre said, as much for Yukina as Hiei.

The door was closed behind him, proof that Hiei was taking no chances. Quatre hesitated for a second as he found himself alone in the dark hall. He'd made a telepathic connection to Trowa that morning. If he could use it, he wouldn't have to venture into the school and possibly endanger students. He waited till he was clear of the thick metal dampering the area below. Then he tried a search on Trowa, seeking the boy out.

Silence answered him as he headed to the next floor. He knew the boy was in Relena's office – the only telephone he'd seen in the school was in her office – but he couldn't feel his presence at all. It made a knot of worry spring into his throat.

Quatre pushed that down as firmly as he could. He'd never been able to sense Trowa before, so there was no reason to think that not being able to sense him now meant the boy was in trouble. After all, he'd only sensed him that morning because Trowa had _chosen_ to drop his shields. And as worn as he felt from controlling Une, it was possible that he just wasn't pushing hard enough to get Trowa's attention.

Despite his reassurances, Quatre found himself almost running up the stairs. Hiei might as well have saved his order to be quick about it. The thought of Trowa being in danger, alone and unsuspecting, was enough to send him into a light panic.

He almost barreled into a student as he reached the door to the right floor and only his promise to Yukina stopped him. He paused long enough to throw a sharp look back to the boy, who was staring up at him in surprise.

"Go downstairs," Quatre said quickly. "Yukina's down there. Just knock on the door or something and Hiei will let you in."

Kuwabara opened his mouth to ask what he was talking about. Then Yukina's name reached his ears.

Quatre saw the goofy grin spread over Kuwabara's face and he gave the boy a quick nod. That done, he left the stairwell, certain the lovesick teen would be downstairs as soon as he got past the idea that Yukina was waiting for him. Focused on making up the lost time, he was halfway down the hall before he realized he was on the wrong floor.

'_I fall to pieces in a crisis...' _

He groaned quietly, forcing his panic to die a fast and furious death. If anything happened to Trowa, he'd have no one to blame but himself. That cold logic calmed his nerves better than any reassurances had. He wheeled around and ran back toward the stairwell.

Six feet from the entrance, the air exploded. It caught him head-on, a searing coiled explosion that tore into his chest and knocked him back like a rifle blast.

Quatre lay where he'd landed, his lungs burning as he tried to gasp. The explosion had been green but his eyes were filled with dark red that shadowed the hall until he couldn't tell if his eyes were open or closed. Then oxygen rushed back into his lungs and he coughed, forcing himself up onto his side so he could see what had hit him.

Dark violet eyes peered at him, framed by straight black hair and silver below.

Quatre made a little meaningless sound and reeled back. Now he could see that it was a man crouched in front of him, and that the silver was a mask hiding the lower half of the stranger's face. Those eyes narrowed in what seemed to be a smile and the figure flickered and disappeared.

His shoulders were caught from behind and Quatre stared down at the man's pale hands, his eyes caught on the red-tipped claws where they dug into his shirt. He was pulled up, an arm moving around his waist and lifting him back against the rogue mutant. He was stunned, shaky, and bleeding, but he was not about to be taken.

Quatre struggled in the man's arms, his eyes closed tight as he sought out the mind closest to him. It was a dark well unlike anything he'd sensed before, but he shoved into it, trying to latch on enough to control him. The physical pain he felt was replaced by a strange grating mental sensation. He forced an order for _release _and felt something in his mind flex. A twinge. Then a wash of pain as his newest wall crumbled. Not only didn't he have the strength to control the mutant, he'd pushed so hard he couldn't block out Heero anymore.

"You're a regular dominatrix...I like that."

The voice was dulled by the mask, but still managed to send shivers over Quatre's back. He could hear the real threat in the man's voice, and the promise of slow eager torture. Just that light dip into the mutant's mind had told him this one had a darkness that didn't end. And he was as good as helpless against it.

That hand shifted on his stomach and Quatre felt a ghost of those claws before his flesh seemed to implode. Blood filled his mouth and he choked on it, falling in a haze of mind-numbing pain. He barely heard the window shatter across from them.

.-.

Trowa reeled at a sudden backlash of Quatre's pain, one hand jerking over his waist as if he were the one who'd been hit. He dropped the telephone, mindless to the voice that sounded loudly on the other end. He took off down the hall and nearly stumbled when he tried to locate Quatre with his mind. The boy's psyche was almost unrecognizable, weak and mixed with something dark and volatile.

He heard the window explode as he took the stairs, nearly loosing his block. Quatre was still conscious. As faint as the boy was, he was still sentient and in enough mental and physical pain. Trowa didn't dare drop his guard and add to that. The upheaval that morning had left his lover weakened already. Quatre would never be able to withstand his mind now.

That knowledge was just enough to keep him sane. He reached the hall where the explosion had sounded and didn't pause for fury when he found it empty. The window was gone, open to the outdoors in a jagged and gaping hole. But he could almost see the trace of where Quatre had been, bits of pale blue spread into the green aftermath.

Another explosion reached his ears, this one quieter but so heavy it fairly shook the foundation of the school. Trowa locked onto the source by instinct and ran downstairs. He could feel Quatre now, even dimmer than before but still aware. And someone else, an inhuman maw sucking the life out of everything it touched.

.-.

Hiei was already in a defensive stance when the thick metal door shattered inward as if it were made of fiberglass.

His emotions were harnessed and crushed into a corner – fear for Yukina, guilt for putting Duo in danger, shame for letting Quatre go, determination to get the boy away from the mutant holding him like some trophy, fury at the one who dared to threaten those in his protection, unease at being confronted by something his subconscious recognized but wouldn't tell him about.

The tall black-haired mutant stepped through the doorway disregarding Hiei's presence. Quatre lay limp over his shoulder and might have been dead if not for the light tremors that shook his dangling hands. The man's dark eyes darted to the sides, taking in Yukina on one side close to the wall, and Duo where he lay on the opposite end of the wide room. He barely blinked when Hiei took a step toward him.

Hiei stepped forward, judging the best angle to attack the man on without involving Quatre. He was about to make his move when something else hit the mutant from behind. The unexpected help surprised him as much as it did the black-haired man.

He stumbled forward, blood arcing out from the cut on his back, and wheeled to face the one who'd cut him. Violet eyes narrowed and he made a soft hissing sound of disgust. He flicked his right hand at Kuwabara and turned back to look at Hiei, not even waiting to see the results of his work.

Kuwabara was knocked off his feet as the bomb exploded in his face, spraying blood in a wide arc and throwing him back against the wall. Hiei made a small sound of disbelief, stunned at the simple murder. And Yukina disappeared, proving she had speed Hiei could match but couldn't surpass.

"_Kazuma-san!_"

His sister dove down over Kuwabara, her entire body glowing with the same pale blue shade as her hands in a desperate intense healing. Hiei could see spasms shaking the boy's body, proof that he was still alive, and he stopped himself from dragging her back to safety.

He placed himself between Yukina and the rogue, drawing his sword and rushing to attack. The man moved his hands, the same graceful gesture he'd made at Kuwabara. The difference was that Hiei saw what the man was doing. His jagan let him see the particles that appeared around the man's pale fingers, coalescing and glistening with raw incendiary power that would explode at the will of the controller.

A quiet shuffling murmur of unease rose in Hiei's mind and he shoved it down, blocking it out with the rest of his distracting emotions. He could _see_ the 'bombs' and they would never reach their target, not while he still stood.

Hiei dodged the small glittering bursts the mutant sent at him, darting closer. The man edged back as he advanced, and the targets doubled - now the bombs he dodged would hit Yukina and Kuwabara. He understood the thinking behind that move, but the rogue didn't know who his opponent was.

Hiei rushed through the bombs, twisting so they brushed his sides, arms, legs, nothing that would cause fatal damage, just enough to explode them. He reached the man with his sword blurred by speed and barely jerked it back in time.

The black-haired man let out a whispery laugh, pulling Quatre higher against his chest. "What's the matter? Can't slice through him so easily?"

Eyes narrow and cold, Hiei didn't respond. He'd known the man's speed was nearly as fast as his own. That was why he hadn't been able to follow him in the forest, the mutant moved so quickly only an afterimage of his power remained. But the boy, Quatre's body was a small shield for such a tall man. Hiei darted forward again, feinting this time.

He cut a tiny, glancing blow on one black-clad arm. Then the air exploded around his sword, nearly knocking it from his grip. Hiei skidded back, twisting to keep himself from sliding right into an awaiting cloud of that energy. He only hesitated for a few seconds, but that was enough for the glinting bursts to surround him, closing in on all sides and leaving no way out except straight through. Hiei hissed through his teeth and went down on one knee, his other leg open to the bone.

With an arm still around Quatre, the man turned his attention to the boy across the room from Hiei. The wall crumbled, windows shattering outright, and Duo disappeared without a sound to show whether he'd been hit or not. Dark eyes narrowed into slits and darted around the seemingly empty mess, unsure if the boy was invisible or if he'd been buried in the rubble. Quiet movement from Hiei drew his attention away.

Hiei glared up at the rogue and pushed to his feet, leaning his full weight on his left leg. The man hadn't seen his sword disappear, and if his jagan was right, he couldn't see Duo when he was invisible. Unfortunately, the man could read energy.

The rogue turned around in time to change Trowa's attack into a glancing blow at best. He jerked Quatre up, using him as a shield again, and exploded the air around Trowa with enough angry power to make a crater in the cement.

Trowa flew back just as quickly, so he didn't take the full brunt of it. He barely noted the way Hiei jerked his head to the side as if to tell him which direction to move in. He merely obeyed, his entire focus on Quatre's bowed head.

The tall green-eyed boy was not focused. Hiei glared, burning the band off his jagan in preparation for what was to come. Then he growled at Trowa.

"Now!" Hiei ordered.

The rogue turned, eyes narrow in suspicion. And something stabbed straight through his side, inches from where Quatre's arm hung. He choked and dropped the boy, his hands falling to catch the invisible sword.

Trowa flinched and dove at Quatre. He snatched him up and was halfway across the room in seconds. The boy made no sound, but he could feel the blood soaking into his own clothing as surely as he could feel Quatre's pulse - faint but sure.

Duo struggled to pull the sword free, his body fighting absolute shut-down. The explosions had woken him, but that teleportation earlier had taken more energy than he'd realized. Just holding his invisibility was sending shudders over his bloody arms, shaking the wounds. He was pulled forward along with the sword, a pale hand shooting out to catch the front of his shirt.

The black-haired mutant lunged forward, pushing the sword deeper into his body but also allowing him to catch Duo. He couldn't see the boy, but now he knew where he was. A few concentrated explosions and he could see him as well.

Duo turned visible seconds before he collapsed, the pain and continued exhaustion taking its toll.

A shuddery breath from Quatre, and Trowa paused in midair. He'd almost set Quatre down and gone forward to try and get Duo, but now he was afraid to. If anything happened to him, Quatre wouldn't be able to dodge. He'd be a stationary target. An angry growl caught his ear, and Trowa tensed.

Dark violet eyes glared at the teens, his low growl not even beginning to express his anger. The pain in his back and side was almost enough to make him crush Duo's throat and simply kill the boy right there. He could have, and there was nothing they could do to stop him. That was the only reason he didn't - because it would be too easy, too...kind.

"I came for the dominatrix," he murmured coldly, nodding his head at Quatre. "But these two may serve even better."

Trowa's eyes narrowed. Duo and...?

The rogue answered his question by turning to Hiei with a raised hand. Trowa couldn't see what the man did, but Hiei must have because the dark-haired mutant burst into black flames, explosions glinting on the edges as they were ignited on contact.

Dark energy crackled around him, and Hiei gave a sharp sneer. "Like I'd be killed that easily."

A hidden smirk passed over the controller's face, and he turned a few inches, redirecting his hand to the ones crouched behind Hiei. "I'll just mutilate your dear sister, then."

Hiei froze, a stark look passing over his face.

Trowa glared, supporting Quatre as the boy struggled to lift his head. Yukina was too preoccupied with Kuwabara to even realize she was now a target. He didn't think she was even fully aware of what had been going on around her. Kuwabara's face was looking more like, well, a face, and she'd been glowing nonstop since Trowa had come in. She probably wouldn't move unless the boy died, and Hiei didn't look like he'd be going anywhere with his right leg cut up the way it was. That only left him and Quatre.

Simple thought was difficult for Quatre, but faced with Yukina's death, he had to try. He reached out for that dark mind he'd touched before, struggling to catch and control. The rogue seemed to feel his efforts, those dark violet eyes snapping over to him.

Trowa didn't wait for the man to wave his hand. He was already in the air, dodging attacks he couldn't see. If he'd had Hiei's speed that might have saved him. As it was, he managed to keep Quatre from taking the brunt of the bombs that set up around him. And he didn't land on the boy when he was thrown to the ground. That was something.

Willing Yukina to move without having any telepathic ability was a wasted effort. Hiei realized that after a few seconds of desperate mental pleading. He curled his right hand into a fist and sent a blaze of dark fire at the rogue mutant. It was a chancy move, and his throat closed on him even as he did it. Three possibilities - it would hit the man in the back since his attention was on Trowa, the man would feel it coming and dodge, or the man would feel it coming and use Duo as a shield the same way he had with Quatre.

The second proved to be accurate. The mutant whipped around just as the fire reached him, dodging before it could so much as singe his long black hair. He darted back at Hiei so fast that only his target saw him move.

Hiei felt a vague twinge of shock at the direct attack, but his reaction was steady. He burned with energy, black heat crackling enough to send his shirt up in a wispy haze of melted fabric. And he was turning before the mutant fully appeared behind him, his fist charged to punch through the man if necessary. He misjudged the outright sinisterness of the man who'd so far been playing with them.

The bomb was unlike the others. It was a tiny charge that didn't need to coalesce visibly. He sent it out the same way he'd have let out a deep breath, pure essence of destruction. And it hit Hiei in his most vulnerable spot, his jagan.

Hiei screamed, cringing down and curling over his knees. And another scream mimicked him, sounding at almost the exact same second.

Trowa, who was still lying where he'd fallen, swept Quatre closer to him at that chilling double scream.

Yukina's color had changed. She was still crouched over Kuwabara, but instead of that soft healing blue, she was surrounded by an icy blue sheen that lifted her hair in ripples. Her eyes, so sweet and expressive, were deadly white orbs with the tiniest glint of burning yellow within. But it was her face that made Trowa pull Quatre into a sheltered hold. Her face was absolutely dead aside from her hateful eyes.

"Shimatta..."

Trowa flinched at the whispered curse, his eyes widening at the stark fear in the rogue mutant's eyes. Considering the man had just taken down Hiei, it seemed absurd that he'd look so terrified of Yukina. But he was. And as cold as the air felt around him, Trowa thought he may have had good reason to fear.

The rogue sent one wary look at the glowing ice user. Then he grabbed Hiei, steadied his hold on Duo, and darted for the door seconds ahead of the attack.

Ice erupted over the floor where Hiei had been, but it came seconds too late. Something small and hollow fell to shatter on the ice, and Yukina burst into tears.

.-.

Kurama flinched, his eyes flashing gold though his hair remained red. He stood seconds before the door opened and people began filing out of the meeting room, so whatever he might have said was hidden by the general murmur.

Wufei sent him a worried look, but waited till Zechs and Relena reached them. "What is it?"

"We have to go back," Kurama whispered, his voice faint. "Now. We have to go back right _now_."

Wufei saw the color of Kurama's eyes and paled considerably. He turned to Zechs to tell him what they suspected, but he stopped cold. That OZ official was standing a few feet from them and the way Zechs flinched away told him he'd been right. It was Treize.

Treize smiled at Kurama, his expression almost friendly as he took in the redhead's golden eyes. "There's no need to rush off. It's a little too late to make a dashing rescue."

Relena had been frowning unhappily since she came out of the meeting. Now she sent a confused look to Kurama and turned her frown on Treize. "What do you mean?"

"I apologize," said Treize. "Princess, I'd like to speak in private with your friends for a moment. If you'd excuse us?"

The polite request made suspicion blaze over Relena's face, but Zechs nodded and took her arm. With a few whispered words, he sent her off to wait across the room where, hopefully, she'd be out of the line of fire. The moment she was out of hearing range, Kurama turned deadly golden eyes on Treize.

"What have you done?"

A congenial smile spread over Treize's face, and he glanced down at his wrist. They had a brief glimpse of something that wasn't a watch. Then he dropped his arm and shrugged.

"I admit," said Treize, "that things didn't go quite as planned. But this is a nice surprise. I didn't expect to get that one out of the Sanq Kingdom."

He nodded to Kurama, his smile easing into a slow smirk. "I promise we'll take very good care of your lover, Shuuichi."

Kurama trembled, blood dripping from his curled fists.

Zechs didn't show nearly as much restraint. He grabbed Treize by the collar and jerked him around, rewarded by the slight widening of the man's brown eyes.

"Do you attack children now?" Zechs growled. "What's to stop us from ridding the world of you right here?"

Wufei stared, startled by the sudden rage. But Trieze didn't look the least bit bothered. He'd regained his smirk and almost looked pleased to have death threats hissed into his face.

"You're so passionate when you're angry," Treize said admiringly. "I think I like you better this way. If you're worried about the boy, you're more than welcome to come back with me."

He glanced to the side without turning his head, taking in Wufei's wide eyes and Kurama's rigidly cold mask. "You two are welcome as well. It would save you the trouble of searching for the right base to attack."

"I got cut off and-"

Yusuke ground to a halt as two pairs of eyes turned to him - Wufei and Treize. He took in Kurama's lack of expression and wrong-colored eyes, and the stand-off between Zechs and Trieze. And he glared at the OZ official, placing himself nearest to Kurama since he looked the most volatile.

Treize raised an eyebrow at the belligerent boy and sniffed at that threatening glare. "I'd forgotten that one."

The boy didn't react to being called a 'that one,' so Treize dismissed him, turning back to Zechs. He caught angry pale blue eyes and smiled into them. Then he reached a hand out to brush Zechs' face.

Zechs released him and jump back as if burned, his eyes flashing in a hateful glare. Treize smirked in response and set to straightening his clothing.

"On second thought," said Treize, "you can visit on your own time. La Guardia base."

Yusuke sent a wild look at his friends when they made no move to keep the man from leaving. Then he jumped out to block his path, doing it himself. "You're not going anywhere till I hear what's going on!"

"He's taken someone from the Sanq Kingdom," Wufei said quietly, frowning at the boy.

"Hiei..."

Yusuke's eyes widened, not just at the revelation but at Kurama's emotionless tone. His confusion shifted into livid anger and he growled at the man responsible.

"Then you can just give the order to let him go or die here," said Yusuke.

Treize sniffed in distaste and sidestepped the boy, not the least bit intimidated. "If I die, all of the mutants at that base will be executed immediately. Not one, all."

"Duo..." Zechs breathed, his eyes wide.

Wufei flinched, and Yusuke sent a furious look at Kurama. He didn't back down until the redhead gave a slow nod.

They watched silently as Treize left the room, pausing only long enough for a few words to the confused girl waiting near the exit. Relena turned to look after him as well. Then Kurama stalked forward.

"We go now," said Kurama.

He held up a small gray pod of some kind, letting them see it before slipping it into his hair. His voice never shifted out of that cold emotionless tone. "I put a trace on him. We can follow so long as it remains alive. We have thirty-eight hours."

_.-.  
TBC_

_**--notes--  
**_Next part will focus on Quatre, Hiei, Duo, and Zechs.


	36. Enemy Territory

Vague fusion with the original X-men animated series.  
This Part: Featured characters include Quatre, Hiei, Duo, Kuramam and Zechs.  
Category: Yaoi, Anime, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho  
Warnings: shonen ai, minor (?) angst  
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, Kurama-Hiei, will be 6x5  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Website: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Gmen**

_Part 36: Enemy Territory_

Kuwabara woke to find his face sore, as if he were sunburned, but also a little numb. The sensation reminded him of how he felt after being slapped around by his older sister, annoying and uncomfortable, but not really painful.

He reached a surprisingly shaky hand up and touched his cheek, his brows drawing when he found the skin overly warm. Maybe he had been slapped. His last memory was of being hit by something he couldn't see, possibly that black scarecrow who'd been-

A soft sound caught his ear, at the same moment he recalled the intruder. His eyes snapped open and he turned onto his side. He spotted the small pearl-like gem as it rolled across the floor. Then he was stumbling to his feet and rushing over to Yukina.

Trowa was leaning against the wall, his arms over Quatre's shoulders to support the boy while Yukina healed the worst of his injuries. He'd been almost dozing himself, between the harsh landing earlier, and his own blood loss – neither of which were important enough to be healed by Yukina, considering Quatre's state.

Someone choked near him, and Trowa's eyes flickered open, blurry for a moment before settling on Kuwabara. The boy's face was oddly pink, the only real sign left from the attack on him. He was staring down at the girl in front of them, and Trowa followed his gaze. One glance at Yukina's tearstreaked face told him why Kuwabara looked so stricken.

Trowa hadn't really noticed how many of those small gems had collected around the girl's pale skirt. He'd been too busy holding onto Quatre and listening to the boy's breathing as it grew steadier with each passing minute. Now he lowered his gaze to Yukina's glowing hands so he could see the wound she was working on.

It was still a torn mess without a trace of the pale skin that should have been protecting the boy's organs. The sight made Trowa tighten his arms over Quatre's shoulders, almost willing the boy not to wake up. Yukina was only going to stop the bleeding until Zechs could get there and take over. Trowa had done a survey of the others and knew Zechs would be arriving soon. They could wait for him, just as long as the bleeding stopped.

Internal bleeding. Only it wasn't internal when he'd been as good as gutted.

A soft whimper broke through Trowa's thoughts, causing him to loosen his grip with sharp guilt. Quatre shifted against him and curled cold hands over his arms. The boy hadn't opened his eyes yet, but he was clearly awake. Trowa ducked his head close to Quatre's neck.

"Don't try to move," he whispered.

Quatre let out a little affirmative sound, not so much as nodding his head. He could feel a cool tingling sensation, numbing the pain in his midsection, and he wasn't about to interfere with that. He did open his eyes, though, mostly because he sensed panic and grief too close to ignore. His gaze went directly to Kuwabara, then down to Yukina. If he hadn't been deathly pale already, he would have blanched.

"Yukina..."

The girl flinched, her hands shaking for a moment before dropping to her sides. That healing energy had faltered and died, leaving her hair damp with sweat and clinging to her cheeks instead of floating on the energy waves. She lifted miserable eyes to Quatre and took a ragged breath that stuck in her throat.

Kuwabara had crouched the moment Yukina stopped using her healing talent. Along with that pale blue glow, her tears had stopped. Whether it was a sign of how worn she was or not, he sighed with relief. He placed a tentative hand on her shoulder.

Quatre had opened his mouth to say something, anything, to those grief-stricken eyes. But Yukina flinched away, her gaze dropping to the hand on her shoulder. She took a hitching breath and all but dove into Kuwabara's arms with enough speed and force to knock the boy out of his crouch.

Terror fleeted over Kuwabara's face as he wrapped his arms around Yukina's shoulders and prayed for help. She was sobbing. He could feel the tears falling in his lap, could hear them hit the floor, and he could see, could **_see_** what it was doing to her. Her energy was more white than blue, with an edge of pale sickly yellow.

"Don't cry," Kuwabara mumbled. "Please? Yukina-chan, please don't cry."

If anything, his words had an opposite effect. She dug deeper against him and cried all the more. Kuwabara let out a miserable sound and poured as much of his energy into her as he could, trying to counter the loss. He knew those tears were draining her as much, if not more than her healing had. And aside from giving her more energy to drain, he didn't know what to do.

"I'll make it better," said Kuwabara, "I promise!"

Helpless and desperate eyes flew to him, and Quatre tightened his hold on Trowa's arms, needing the warmth.

"Hiei was taken," he whispered, "and Duo."

Kuwabara paled, his panic increasing. "Who could do that...? Who would be strong enough to-"

He stopped himself, cutting off that vocal thought as quickly as he could. Yukina needed reassurances, comfort, not to hear his own horror over what had happened. He straightened his shoulders and pushed the girl back enough to see her face. She let out a hiccuping breath and turned eyes to him that were so miserable they cut right through his heart.

"You'll get him back," Kuwabara said sharply, the emotional pain keeping his tone harsh enough to make Yukina blink in surprise. "He'll be fine. Kurama won't let him get hurt, right? You know that. And you know...Hiei wouldn't want you to cry."

.-.

Someone was talking to him. He couldn't quite make out the words. He didn't want to make out the words. He didn't want to hear or feel or care.

He curled tighter, deeper, pushing the world away. He was cold, cold convulsing pain, and Yukina was crying, dying, and he couldn't help her.

'_I can't stop her, I'm making her cry. My fault, again, always my fault. I couldn't, didn't protect her. Didn't? What did I do? Or is it what didn't I do? I don't even know what happened to her...again! Why? Why do I do that? Always failing...? When all I want, all I ever want is just, just...'_

_Not again... Enough, already. Stop that and open your eyes. Do you really want to lose her again? Permanently? Now's not the time for sleep and condemnation. You have the rest of your life for that._

'_I hate you.'_

_Do I care?_

'_You know everything, but you only tell me what you think I need to know. I understand. Do you know that, omniscient fool? I understand. If I die, you die. I'm ready to die, but you aren't. So you push me.'_

_Don't be stupid. You're not ready to kill her, to selfishly choke the life out of her and drown her in her own tears. Ready to die? You'd sooner kill the fox with your bare hands._

'_Leave me alone! I can feel her, she's fading out even now. And I can't feel, can't...'_

_He's not dead. You can't feel him because he's locked himself away from everyone, including me, us. You can't shut down every time he closes himself off. He does that instinctively. You have to accept it like I have, that he won't change._

'_And Yukina...?'_

_Wake up and find out for yourself. I'm tired of how pathetic you get every time something goes wrong. I was never like that!_

'_Liar...'_

_What do you know?_

'_That you're me, and I hate myself.'_

_...always have, always will..._

'_How boring.'_

_I know..._

Pained, disorientated, blinded, sickened. All of the things Hiei had been cringing away from flew back to him the moment he pushed for awareness. He couldn't feel his arms or legs, but his head was awash with pulsing pain, echoed by his clenched stomach. Nauseating pain. And something else.

He felt a sharp yet dull pain press his face, followed by the feel of warm liquid trailing down his neck. Cutting him? Touching him.

Hiei recoiled, his eyes snapping open to a bleary darkness. He didn't know how long it took for his vision to adjust, but he glared until he could see who he was glaring at.

"Either you have a high tolerance for pain, or you're just a very deep sleeper," said Karasu.

The rogue mutant was looming over him, telling Hiei why he felt so disoriented. He was leaning back on something that was tilted strangely. And judging from his numb arms, he'd bet they were held at an odd angle as well. Not that he cared. The mutant was right, he did have a high tolerance for pain. If the man didn't intend to kill him, he was wasting his time by taunting him.

"You're such a little scrap of a thing," Karasu continued, sneering at the bored look Hiei sent up at him. "I'd have thought a Quest class mutant would have better taste than that."

The term struck a cord in the back of Hiei's mind, and he gave a mental growl at his subconscious. It had been shifting around uneasily since he'd first seen the rogue mutant. He doubted he'd get any more from it now than he had then. So he ignored it. With a very dull look, he waited for the mutant to get on with whatever he had to say. He looked like he'd been waiting for Hiei to wake up so he could taunt him, so he probably had a lot to babble on about.

"You have no idea what that rank means, do you?"

Hiei sniffed, not bothering to answer that. The mutant let out a cold laugh. Obviously, Hiei thought, he was easily amused.

"You really are quite simple, aren't you. Did you really think your plant-wielder was just another B class mutant?"

That got a response from Hiei, though he didn't voice it. It was clear to him that either the man didn't know about Kurama's fox form, or he was just talking nonsense to hear himself talk. Hiei had stopped considering Kurama a B class mutant the day he'd shifted.

"Creation," said Karasu, "is the key. No normal mutant can create. A fire user might use fire, but the fire exists without him, doesn't it? A true controller does more than harness his element, he shifts it to fit his needs. No, your pretty little plant wielder is Quest class for certain. I can't wait to get my hands on him – or into him, in this case."

Taunts were easily ignored, but a threat against Kurama, especially the sort he could hear in the man's almost purring voice, that was too much. Hiei growled and jerked away from the thing his back was pressed against. The rogue backed up in surprise, but he needn't have bothered.

Pain erupted everywhere. Something was holding his wrists, and the tension of his pull disturbed sleeping wounds he hadn't been aware of. He also might have just dislocated one shoulder, though he couldn't tell if it was a fresh pain or an old one. The worst, of course, was in his head. He hadn't known he was capable of feeling that much pain.

His jagan pounded in his ears. He didn't wonder how that was possible, didn't wonder if it had healed from the point-blank explosion it had suffered. He felt it pulsing over his entire body and shrouding his vision with dark cloudy purple ghosts.

The mutant said something he couldn't hear over the pounding heartbeat. His heart? The pain was more than he could remember having felt in his life, but could it be strong enough to effect his heart? The thought was alarming in a faint, distant sort of way. He'd drift again, not curled, just standing back from his body and watching those dark ghosts swim before his dazed eyes.

Someone was standing outside his eyes, over his body, he realized. A tall slender man with long wavy blonde hair and eyes so bright and green they were blinding. And he shimmered, pale green energy pulsing around him, particularly his mouth and hands.

Hiei stared in confusion, easing forward into awareness so he could find out who the stranger was. And the image faded, blurring and darkening until only the black-haired mutant stood there, watching him.

A cold calm voice responded to his confusion, making Hiei's pain fogged eyes narrow in understanding. The mutant was not what he appeared to be. He wasn't just a B class mutant with the ability to combine combustible elements and use them as incendiary attacks. He was something beyond that. Not S class either, not quite so powerful as that, just...different.

'_Quest class...? I don't care.'_

"What happened to Duo?" asked Hiei, his voice hoarser than he'd expected.

The mutant reacted with sharp, painfully loud laughter that seemed to echo in Hiei's ears. He glared at it, wondering absently if the echo were due to the dark place they were in, or to his own jagan-enhanced feedback. He didn't trust any of his senses right now.

A hand patted Hiei's head, startling him too much for him to move at first. Then it was pulled away so he could see red claws tipping pale fingers. But they weren't, he noted. They were sharp blood-stained fingernails, not claws.

"That boy is as good as dead," Karasu explained, smiling at Hiei. "They don't want him alive. They never did. He's too difficult to restrain with his talents, not even useful as a toy. They'll keep him for now, but the moment he wakes up he'll probably die. The first hint of teleportation and the cell he's in will be blown to bits before he can get out."

Hiei reacted to that threat, jerking against his restraints without showing the pain that movement caused. And the mutant laughed again, softer this time.

"You shouldn't worry about him," he said quietly, privately. "You should worry about yourself. If you're lucky, they'll kill you before they dissect you. But don't count on it. It's far more entertaining if the body struggles when you slice into it..."

.-.

The cockpit of the plane was crowded with so many people, but no one wanted to separate. Wufei was piloting, the others arranged as comfortably as possible where they could see the windshield, to look forward rather than inward.

They'd switched planes after seeing Relena back to the Sanq Kingdom, and picking up Trowa and Quatre. Kurama assured them that Yukina would be safest with Relena inside the border. The girl had never been attacked in all of the years she lived there, and even this attack hadn't been against her. She'd only be in danger if she were caught in the crossfire again. They wouldn't let that happen.

After Zechs had healed Quatre and Trowa, they'd told him what they knew about the attack. It was clear to them that Quatre had been the main target, but Zechs imagined there was more to it than that. He was quick to remind them that Treize had had two primary objectives concerning their group – to catch and use Quatre, and to kill Duo. It was something none of them wanted to think about.

The attack had broken a lot of their illusions, particularly Kurama's, though Zechs was the only one to notice. The redhead remained absolutely emotionless. He'd barely touched Yukina, and hadn't said a word of reassurance to her, despite her exhausted, hopeful expression. That alone told him Kurama was stricken too deeply to respond to what had happened. He'd thought them safe, Hiei more than anyone.

The last time he'd spoken had been to ask Zechs if he could reach Hiei. Zechs had tried, just like he and Trowa had both tried to reach Duo. They hadn't felt a breath of Duo, and all Zechs had gotten from Hiei was an image of purplish-black shifting shadows, like smoke or dark fire. Kurama hadn't responded to that with anything other than a sober look.

The talk of Duo had reminded Quatre of something he hadn't really had time to notice before. Now he caught Trowa's arm and pulled the boy back into the other part of the plane, where they wouldn't be overheard. He chose one of the seats far enough away for privacy, but close enough in case there was a change in plans. Then he caught Trowa's hand with wide eyes.

"Heero," said Quatre.

Trowa knew what he was talking about, though it had been a while before he noticed the difference. They'd both been far too distracted to think about it.

"I think it happened sometime during the attack," Trowa admitted. "His pain faded and disappeared, along with his thoughts."

"I felt him before," Quatre said quickly, his eyes wide and wary, "when that man first attacked me. I tried to control him and my block against Heero collapsed. I felt him, then, as bad as it was this morning. But now I can't find him at all."

Silence passed between them, and Trowa wanted to say something to reassure the boy. He could easily have thought of reasons for Heero to go from continued pain-transference to absolute silence. A coma, perhaps. But somehow he didn't think that were the case.

"We can't feel Heero anymore," Quatre whispered anxiously, "and now we can't find Duo. You don't think they're both..."

He shook his head, pulling on Trowa so the boy would wrap an arm over his shoulders. "I know they don't have a reason to keep Duo alive, but he can't use his abilities. He can't teleport or even turn invisible, so wouldn't they want to keep him alive? He's not a threat now."

"What do you want me to tell you?" Trowa asked quietly, his eyes sad and sober.

Quatre dropped his eyes, curling into his lover's warmth. "That they're not dead. Tell me they're not dead. Tell me my own abilities are too worn to feel them, and that they're not dead."

"I don't believe Heero is dead," said Trowa. "What he planned to do wasn't something that would kill him. I didn't probe, but I know the chances of it going wrong were very slim. I don't know why I can't reach him, but I don't believe he's dead."

"And Duo?"

"..."

Quatre jerked away, his eyes wide and bright. "Why?"

"They sent a mutant in, just to kill him."

"But that man took him," Quatre protested. "If they just wanted him dead, he'd have killed him, wouldn't he? He could have. None of us could have gotten to Duo fast enough to stop him."

Trowa sighed and stood up, pulling Quatre along with him so he could wrap his arms around the boy in a proper embrace. He squeezed him tightly, his voice a soft apology. "I don't believe he's alive, Quatre. I want to, but I don't. OZ wants Duo dead. Whatever reason that man had for taking Duo, it had nothing to do with keeping him alive. You felt his mind, didn't you? Do you believe Duo could survive that? Would you want him to have to survive that?"

A soft mournful sound caught Zechs' ear and he glanced through the door to the cockpit. He didn't need to know what Trowa and Quatre were talking about. There were only so many things on their minds right now. He eased the door shut so no one would overhear and interrupt.

"Will you try again?" asked Kurama.

Zechs turned slowly, wanting to see a tiny spark of hope in those mottled eyes and knowing he wouldn't. The colors had glazed sometime after they'd left the Sanq Kingdom, and now Kurama's eyes had a dull yellow-green sheen that was almost ugly to look at. It made his emotionless mask even more disturbing.

Yusuke was watching them with a wary expression, and Zechs sighed. He took a seat behind Wufei and gave a slow nod. "I'll try again."

The shadows were still there, obscuring his view, but he could hear and feel myriad thoughts mixing behind that veil.

_Pain, physical torment, slow, taunting, unimportant. He'd survived worse and would again. Sickly deep self-condemnation, curdled, festering, righteous. He'd heard her scream and knew what it meant, again he'd forced her to do what went against her being to do. Stubborn frustrated anger, smoldering, struggling, indignant. He hated being helpless, hated being touched._

_Curled serpent, glowing eyes, fury and retaliation. Striking and shoving away._

Zechs was pushed back into his own mind, so similar to that first reading he'd tried on Kurama that he almost wondered if he'd gone into the wrong mind. Then he heard it, a whispered message, a warning, not from Hiei, but from that subconscious voice.

'_Mind your own business and protect the youko, watch the fox. I'll wake you soon, so be prepared.'_

The shock must have shown on his face, because Kurama made a tiny sound in his throat, almost an emotional response. Zechs shook his head, doing his best to wipe away his stunned expression. He didn't know what to make of the reaction, or the words – what the hell was a youko? – but he had to tell Kurama something. He had an idea Kurama's sanity could very well ride on what he said.

There was a tiny flicker in those glazed eyes, and Zechs winced away from them. "He's resisting me, somehow, his subconscious is. All he would tell me is that he's worried about you."

"Me," Kurama repeated, his voice monotone.

"Yes," said Zechs. "But he's definitely alive. He's hurt, but it doesn't seem life threatening, not if he has the strength to worry about someone else like that."

Kurama stared for a moment before turning away, his arms folded protectively over his chest. He knew better. Hiei would think of himself last, even if he were dying.

.-.

'_And if I lose him, there'll be nothing left of me. What am I without him? Shuuichi is long dead. Or am I long dead? I am what he made me. I'll be a shell, with nothing to hold me to it. If he dies, I will have to follow till I find him again. And I haven't lived this life yet...I'm not ready to die. Please, Hiei...I don't want to die... I want this life, **this** life. With you...'_

"_Why do you sleep up here?" asked Duo, his voice a quiet whisper in the dark._

"_I feel safer here," Heero whispered back, curling closer to him._

_They were curled together, their bodies far too large to be comfortable in the small crawlspace that followed the rafters. Duo wondered at that, the sense of strangeness in how cramped it was with the two of them there. He thought there should have been more room. He remembered there being more room._

_A thick acrid smell caught his nose, and Duo sniffed at it, just as Heero let out a muffled cough. "That's-"_

"_Smoke," Heero whispered, his eyes very wide. _

_He pulled away from Duo and scrambled down the boards to the floor below. Duo hurried after him, jumping straight down to the floor and catching himself in a light crouch._

'_But that's wrong...I didn't land. I stumbled and fell and choked. I lay there until I could barely see through the smoke and their cries were coming from all around me. And Heero wasn't here with me...'_

"_Heero...! Where did you go?"_

_He shoved to his feet, wading his way through thick smoke that stung his eyes as he tried to see. The exit was near to him, he knew it was. He should have seen Heero there, pushing on the door that wouldn't open._

'_But that's wrong, too...I didn't wade. The smoke was over my head because I crawled to the door. I couldn't see anything, but I felt the edge of the carpet and it took me straight to the door. They were screaming and I closed my eyes, just feeling my way to the door. I thought they were with me...all around me. I didn't want to slow them down...'_

_He saw him through a haze of smoke, tears from the stinging air clouding his sight even more. But he saw him jerking at the door with quiet panicked sobs._

'_Heero would never cry like I did...that should be me. Heero wasn't there...'_

"_Heero! Wait, Heero! I'll get us out, I promise. Just wait for me to-'_

_He saw him disappear, the smoke swirling to take up the space where Heero had been a moment before. And Duo stumbled into the door, his wide eyes burning in the smoky haze._

'_He teleported...? He can't. I do that...I did that without knowing what I was doing. This isn't right...'_

_He pulled on the door, a frantic thoughtless endeavor that seemed like the most natural thing in the world. And when it wouldn't budge he sobbed and fell to his knees, willing himself out, through the door and out to where he could breathe._

'_And I did go out...I left them behind. Why can't I go now? How could Heero go when I can't...? He wouldn't do what I did, wouldn't leave them to die like I did. Leave them...and me...?'_

_He could hear them crying now, the screams choked into gags and suffocated coughs. They were moaning and knocking into things. And the sounds were dampened until he felt like they were all around him._

'_This is what made me crawl to the door...I'm ahead of myself now. I thought they were with me, I swear I did. I wouldn't have gone if I'd known they weren't with me. Like Heero went...? Is that the reason? I left them, loved them, loved them and left them anyway. So he left me anyway...? Is this what they felt, dying and wanting to know why, why they were dying alone...? I loved them...'_

_He slid to the floor, crumpled with his head close to the carpet, knees drawn tight to his chest. He could feel the heat creeping toward him, following the smoke and he whimpered. His hair was falling all over him and his voice was small._

'_I'm small...I was so small I could barely reach the doorknob when I tried to get out. If I'd lain here, I could have covered myself in my hair...it would have caught fire quicker that way... I wouldn't have to suffocate that way...'_

"_But I'm not! I'm not a child anymore...I can't lie here and cry like this...it isn't right..."_

'_This isn't how it happened...'_

"_Come back for me. Heero, come back for me... I'm sorry I didn't save them, but please, please come back for me...? It was selfish and horrible, but I lived through this! I'm supposed to live through this..."_

'_...in exchange for letting all of them die...'_

"Don't move."

'_Heero...? No...no, not Heero...not in this place...'_

"Please don't move."

The voice was soft, ragged, a whisper in the darkness.

Duo blinked groggily, half immersed in the dream, his eyes still damp from the smoke and tears. It hurt to move and he groaned quietly, pausing for a moment before waking completely. Then he saw the cold metal he was facing, the dark wall inches from his head.

"Please...don't move..."

The words almost made him jump, just to spite the order of whoever was behind him. But a few seconds told him that hadn't been an order. It was a whispered plea, soft, hopeless. The sort of plea he'd made in his dream when he'd begged Heero to-

"W-why shouldn't I move...?" whispered Duo.

"If you move, or make the slightest attempt to escape...this cell will be blown up. I...I don't blame you if you want to escape. But please, please find another way? I don't want to die here..."

The voice was soft and light, a girl or perhaps a very young boy. Either way, he believed the fear he heard in that voice.

Duo gave a wry smirk, staring wearily at the wall in front of him. "I'm not going anywhere, don't worry."

He knew he couldn't teleport now. Just being invisible earlier had nearly killed him, not to mention the attack on top of that. The explosions had sent glass into his arms and side, along with bits of the plaster and cement from the wall. He could feel the wounds now that he thought about them, they hurt when he tried to sit up.

The other person in the room gasped, probably afraid the cell would blow up. But Duo knew he'd go insane if he had to lie still for who knows how long. He kept his motions very slow, but he did sit up. And he felt tight bindings around his arms and waist and neck - bandages. Whoever had him had at least bound the wounds to keep him from bleeding to death. Hopefully if he kept still and stationary they wouldn't just kill him out of hand.

After a few minutes his eyes grew accustomed to the dark room, and he looked from the small cot he sat on over to the person who'd spoken to him. It was a girl, short dark hair, overly thin and pale with wide dark eyes that watched him like he was a viper about to snap at her. She looked like she could have been his age, though it was hard to say when she was curled into the dark corner. He could see a metallic glint from where her hands were settled in her lap. She was wearing some sort of cuffs that bound her wrists together and covered her hands.

The girl followed his gaze down and looked at him with wild, challenging eyes. "My talent is making things disappear by touching them with my hands. They keep them covered so I can't use it on them."

"I can do that," said Duo, "if I hold things they're invisible along with me."

"No," the girl said, her voice rough with disuse but forceful at the same time. "I make things disappear. I touch them and they're just gone, to nowhere. I wear gloves all the time, or I used to. Otherwise anything I touch with my hands is gone."

"It sounds strange," Duo admitted. "I can teleport myself and things I'm holding, but I have a destination in mind. My name's Duo, by the way."

She moved at the introduction, a half forward, half backward shuffle that made Duo raise an eyebrow. Then she did it again and made it to her feet, moving closer to him and sitting on the floor again where they could see each other clearly. "Hilde."

"It must be hard getting around with your hands like that," Duo said softly, frowning down at the cumbersome gloves.

"You get used to it after a while," Hilde shrugged.

Duo changed the subject, hoping to brighten the mood a little. "That's a cool talent you have. I've never heard of anything like that."

"It's not cool when you touch a person and have to watch him disappear into oblivion."

Silence spread between them and Duo flushed at his mistake. He couldn't imagine having a talent like that. "Uncontrolled...?"

"Entirely," said Hilde. "They said I'm under C, possibly D because I have no control whatsoever. Didn't stop them from using me, though."

"How long have you been here?"

She frowned at that and shuffled a little closer. "You mind if I sit by you? There's only the one bunk."

Duo's eyes widened and he scooted over, leaning forward a little and wondering if he should offer to help her up. "Go ahead."

"Thanks," Hilde sighed. She shifted back against the wall and folded her legs comfortably, telling him without words that she was used to sitting for hours on end.

She turned and gave him a faint smile. "I have no idea how long I've been here. Sometimes it feels like I've been here for years, but it might have been weeks, or a few months. It's just hard to count days when you don't have a clock and you can't see the sun."

"They just keep you here...?"

"They tested me at first," she said, "forcing me to kill other mutants with my talent."

She waited for Duo to absorb that, her expression a little sad, but more resigned than anything. "I haven't seen anyone for a while, but I've killed at least four mutants since they brought me here."

"At least...?" Duo whispered.

"I'm not sure if I killed the last one," she explained, still making no excuses. "He wasn't like the others. He was one of them, the soldiers. I wanted to kill him, but he was so fast I'm not sure if I did it or not. Someone hit me and he wasn't there when I woke up."

Duo didn't know what to say to that, though thinking of the mutant who'd attacked them, he could understand where someone might want to kill one of their own kind.

"I'm really sorry," he offered. "I know that doesn't help, but-"

"You don't need to help," Hilde said quickly, flashing him another of those faint smiles. "You're keeping me alive just by sitting with me. You don't owe me anything."

"I can't take credit for that," Duo smirked, ducking his head. "I couldn't teleport if I wanted to. I guess you'd say I'm burned out. Of course, I wouldn't do it if I couldn't take you out with me. But I can't do it anyway, so...yeah, doesn't really matter..."

"You'd..."

Duo blinked and looked up to find the girl giving him an almost horrified stare. He didn't know what he'd done to disturb her, so he moved back on the cot with a small smile he hoped would seem harmless. She'd been held prisoner for some time, so he thought maybe he'd said something to scare her.

"You'd really take me with you...?" she asked, disbelief coating her voice. "Why? You don't even know me!"

"Hee-"

Duo grimaced, his eyes darkening for a moment before he looked up again. "I've been told I'm too trusting. But I don't think you're lying about anything you've said to me. Of course I'd take you with me if I could. I wouldn't leave any mutant in OZ's hands. Never."

"You say that now," Hilde said, her expression falling into a tense frown. "You're not thinking clearly - you haven't been here long enough. Once you can use your talent again, you'll do what anyone would do, you'll save yourself. And I won't blame you for it if that's the only way you can get out. I just want you to see if there isn't another way first, just in case. I'm not afraid of dying, you know. I just don't want to if I don't have to."

Indignation spread over his face, and Duo almost glared at the girl. "I said I'd take you with me, and that's what I'd do. I never lie. And I wouldn't just - just save myself in exchange for-"

_'...in exchange for letting them all die...'_

"Oh, God..."

Duo ducked his head into his arms, curling close to the wall on his side of the cot. He could hear them, echoes of those cries, screams, whimpers and choking coughs. Could he honestly say he wouldn't leave her, a stranger, if that were his only chance to live? He'd left loved ones behind, what was she to him? How could he promise something like that when he'd already abandoned innocent children?

She watched him for a few minutes, just staring with her wide, darkness-enhanced eyes. Then she turned away and ducked over her own knees. "When they brought me here, they told me they wanted you dead. They said they might play with you a little, but that they had no use for you...or me, either. That's why they put me in here with you, because they're done using me. They'll get rid of both of us at once. I guess...if it came to it, being blown up would be quick. It wouldn't hurt that much..."

The tone struck him more than the words, cold, sad, small and hopelessly resigned. Duo glared against his damp eyes and rubbed an arm over his face.

"It won't come to that," he growled. "It won't. I'm not going to get either of us blown up, at least not on purpose."

He straightened his shoulders and got off the cot, wincing a little as his cuts pulled. "Is there any way out of this room aside from teleporting? Are they monitoring us with some sort of camera? I mean, how will they know if I try to teleport?"

"I don't know if they have cameras or not," Hilde admitted, frowning a bit at his optimistic tone. "I think they might have some sort of heat sensors - if it registers less than exactly two of us, the place would explode. That way it would register the second you started to teleport - and get you before you can fully leave this room."

Duo whipped around with wide, appreciative eyes. "You thought of that?"

"I used to...be interested in mechanics," Hilde smiled. "I was going to be a scientist. Well, someday I thought I might be one. I'm only fifteen. I also wanted to be a race car driver."

She stuck her tongue out and Duo laughed. The sound surprised them both, but in a nice way. He shook his head with a smirk and started circling the room.

"What sort of doors do they have?"

"Over there," Hilde pointed, "in the corner. It slides sideways so there's no chance of levering it open. And there's a very thick door on the other side of that - you'd never force it open. I really don't see any way out of this room. They've lined it so the rest of the base won't be affected by the explosion..."

"Yeah, well, good for them," Duo sniffed. "They must not be counting on how strong some of my friends are. I bet Hiei could cut right through the walls if he had a mind to..."

"You have mutant friends?"

Duo turned back to her and tilted his head to the side, giving a little frown. "You don't?"

"I had a friend before I left," Hilde said quietly, dropping her eyes. "I used to think someone would rescue me, back when I was first brought here. But I waited for a long time thinking that. Now I know it won't happen. No one's coming for me. Or if he is, he can't find me here. Even if he could, I'm starting to think he wouldn't bother...he didn't know, you see. He didn't know I was a mutant..."

"I'm sorry," said Duo. He was thinking how nice and romantic and touching it would be if Heero were to rescue him. He knew just how Hilde felt. That sort of hope could last through months of torment before finally dying out. And once it was gone, only resignation and loneliness would be left. "I know how you feel."

_'And I wonder what he'll think. If he comes back to the school like he said he would, I wonder what he'll think when I'm not there to greet him. Will he think I left on my own? Or will the others be there to tell him what happened to me? How long would it take them to find me? If it's too long, I might not be here by then... I wonder how Heero would react to that...finding out I died while he was away...'_

"We'll just wait together," Duo said, forcing a bright smile onto his face. Hilde just watched him, so he didn't think she was fooled. But she nodded to him when he sat back down again.

"We'll wait," Duo said again, "and if someone doesn't come, I'll get us out. One way or another."

"It would be quick," Hilde whispered, shooting him a tiny, sad smile. "It wouldn't hurt very much..."

"That's something..."

.-.

Zechs caught Duo the moment the boy regained consciousness, but there was some sort of interference between them. He could barely hear the boy's thoughts.

"I think he's being held within a very thick cell, and the metal is dampering me. But he's fine, a little torn up and depressed, but otherwise fine."

Wufei gave a relieved smile and nodded in thanks. He didn't see the way Quatre turned into Trowa's arms behind them, or the guilty look that passed over Trowa's face for having doubted their friend's resilience.

"He's not alone, though," Zechs added. "There's someone in there with him, another prisoner. She's been there for some time. I think with each other..."

Wufei smirked at the strained tone, shooting a glance back. "Are you trying to say Duo's cheating on Heero?"

"No," Zechs said quickly, sending the boy a light frown. "Just that we're taking her with us when he break him out. We'll have trouble managing one person, with two it'll be worse."

"Why?" asked Quatre.

"Something about the way the cell is set up. The girl suspects there might be a heat monitor of some kind to register if there are two bodies in there. If one fades, the cell is set to destruct. We'd need to get in through the walls themselves - very thick, maybe steel - and then we'd need to be extremely fast to get them both out at once and to a safe distance for when it explodes. Unless we can break into the base and disable their system."

"I can disable it," said Kurama.

Zechs turned, his expression turning wary again. He didn't know how to deal with Kurama now. The redhead had pulled up information on the base, proving himself as much of a hacker as Heero. But so far the information he'd given them had all been stated in that same cold, factual tone. He couldn't help but wonder if Kurama were telling them everything, or just what he'd decided they needed to know. He just didn't trust such a dead delivery, too poker-faced, perhaps.

"I could do it from here," Kurama continued, "but it would register within two hours. I'll do it when we're closer. They won't know the mechanism is down until we're already there. Then, it will be too late."

"Then we sneak in?" asked Wufei.

"There are a number of weak spots in the regular security," said Kurama. "But he knows we're coming. They'll know to tighten those weak spots. A frontal assault would be best. They can't prepare for an attack waged by all of us, not in the open. Not now."

Not now, Zechs thought warily, that Kurama was out for blood.

"And Treize?" asked Zechs.

"He changed course," said Kurama. "He's heading far west of La Guardia."

"So we won't be confronting him," said Yusuke. "Too bad."

Wufei nodded, knowing just how he felt. "But the important thing is to get our friends back. Without him, that's one more body we don't have waste time getting through."

"Yeah," Yusuke sniffed, "but I still wish we could-"

Zechs jerked in his seat, blinking wide eyes for a moment before turning to stare at Trowa. The two looked at each other and shared an oddly amused look.

"We've picked up another passenger," Zechs smirked.

Kurama snapped around, and he hurried to wave the teen back.

"I don't think it's dangerous," Zechs said quickly. "He's just hitching a ride on our plane."

Yusuke's eyes widened comically, and Trowa gave a small smirk.

"I've done that," Trowa admitted wryly, "often. It's nice to take a break when you're flying long distance, providing you can hold onto the outside of a plane. Catching them is the tricky part. You have to get in front of one and wait for it to get near you, then try not to get caught in the wind sheer while you're grabbing hold of it."

"Sounds cool," Yusuke smirked. "So you think we should invite him in? Can't be very comfortable riding on the outside of a plane."

Kurama sent him a sharp look and he waved at him. "No complaints from you, Kurama. You're not thinking clearly. If you were yourself, you'd invite him in for tea."

Yusuke raised an eyebrow when he found Zechs sending him a strange look. "What? Am I supposed to tiptoe around him just because he's upset? He's not stupid. Kurama knows he's being unreasonable, he just can't help that right now. I thought a mindreader would know that. As long as I don't touch him, he's not going to slice my head off with one of his plants."

Kurama made no response to the talk except to sit down in the seat Yusuke had vacated. Zechs looked at him for a moment before giving a light shrug. He didn't know Kurama the way Yusuke did, and since he'd sworn to Hiei he'd never look in Kurama's mind again, he had no idea what the redhead was feeling. All he knew was what his instinct told him - to keep an eye on Kurama because he could be a ticking time bomb.

It even fit what Hiei had said to him in that brief message, to watch the fox. Zechs was determined to do just that. And as soon as he found out who the youko was, he'd do his best to protect him, too.

Yusuke was prodding Trowa about the person hitchhiking on their plane, and he grinned when the boy offered to invite him in. "And if he gives you any trouble, just knock him off and let the wake spin him away."

"I'll do that," Trowa said soberly. "But it's nothing to joke about. Getting hit by the wake of a plane is very painful. With a jet, it's deadly."

"You've tried it?" Yusuke asked, his eyes wide.

"Not on purpose, but yes."

A few minutes after Yusuke and Trowa headed off to the back of the plane, Kurama sent a look to Zechs. The man straightened when he saw it, and Kurama stared at him closely.

"What do you think I'm going to do?" asked Kurama.

"What?"

"You're watching me," said Kurama. "What do you think I'm going to do?"

"Nothing," Zechs said quickly. "Earlier when I looked into Hiei's mind he said to watch you. I told you, he was worried about you. I'm just doing what he-"

"What else did he say?"

There was a flicker in those yellow-green eyes, a hint of the gold Zechs had seen back when Treize first called him Shuuichi. Zechs stared, hoping the flicker would happen again. Anything was better than that glazed look. "His exact words?"

"Yes," said Kurama. "Don't keep me in the dark. Not now."

Now that he was out for blood, Zechs' mind said warily. "He said to mind my own business, to protect the youko, and watch the fox. You're the fox, so I'm-"

"Youko?"

"Yes," said Zechs. "I don't know what that means. Do you?"

Kurama looked away, thoughtful, though it didn't show on his face. "Maybe. It's familiar to me. But he's never called me that."

"Okay, guys!" Yusuke broke in cheerfully. "Meet our hitchhiker!"

Wufei sent a harried look over his shoulder and promptly did a double-take. He'd seen some strangely dressed mutants, but this one took the award for strangest yet.

The mutant was dressed in baggy white pants, held up by a dark red scarf-like belt. And for a shirt, he had two strips of white cloth coming up from his waist, crossing over his chest, and going back over his shoulders. The point of them, Wufei had no idea. He guessed maybe they were another bit to help keep his pants up when he flew. They certainly didn't cover anything.

He was tall, easily as tall as Zechs, but broad-shouldered and muscular. He was also the tannest redhead Wufei had ever seen. His hair was wild, almost a ball of thick red tufts that didn't even try to hide the horn in the center of his forehead, or the points to his ears. He definitely wouldn't pass for human without a very very large hat.

If he hadn't been flying a plane, Wufei could have stared in fascination for hours. As it was, he gave the young man a quick nod and turned back to the sky.

"His name's Jin," said Yusuke, still grinning widely.

"I can speak for myself, you know," Jin said back, his smile just as amiable. "Nice to meet you all! I saw you passing through and thought I'd nab a ride."

He had a thick Japanese accent that reminded Kurama of Kuwabara, only he guessed Jin's was an Osaka accent, rather than just street slang. He gave the smiling stranger a sweeping look and decided he was as harmless as he appeared. He had the same sort of open honesty Yusuke did. Kurama turned away, leaving the others to deal with the newcomer.

"Where were you headed?" asked Quatre. "We'll be going south for a few more hours if you'd like to ride along."

"That's right where I'm headed," Jin grinned. "South! Due south, and then a little east, I think. Some garda base. I never could get the Spanish ones out right."

"La Guardia?" asked Zechs, his eyes wide.

"Hai! That's the one! It's next on my list to blow away."

The redhead gave a vigorous nod, and Yusuke raised an eyebrow at him. "How are you planning to blow it away? And why, for that matter."

"With wind, of course," Jin said, cocking his head to the side and giving Yusuke a funny look. "How else would I blow away a base?"

"I don't know," Yusuke drawled, "with ammo, maybe?"

"Ah, who needs ammo when I've got the wind? It's much cleaner, and more fun to play with."

"You use wind, then?" asked Quatre. "As your talent, I mean? In addition to flying?"

"Addition?" Jin frowned for a second, not sure what Quatre was asking him. "I use wind, yeah, but I don't fly 'in addition' - I use wind to fly. That's my talent. I'm a Wind Master."

"You were right, Kurama," said Wufei. "I guess I can use wind to fly."

"Sure," Jin smiled. "You just have to be careful you don't blow yourself into next week the first time you try. Need a tough head for that sort of thing. I can't remember how many times I knocked myself right out before I got the hang of it. Ah...that was fun..."

Yusuke laughed, earning him a wink and a grin.

"And why are you heading to La Guardia?" Zechs prodded.

Jin glanced back at him, some of the humor fading from his face. "That. Well, I have a list, see? I'm chasing someone and he keeps hopping from base to base. Always gets off before I get there, really annoying, I can tell you. So I'm just blowing them away as I go - that way he can't backtrack. I figure he'll run out of bases, or I'll catch him. Slimy guy's fast, but he can't run forever."

"You've been destroying OZ bases?" asked Zechs. "How many?"

"OZ?"

Jin blinked wide blue eyes, confusion clear on his face. "Is that military? I don't know much about the bases. Like I said, I'm just chasing someone and wiping out his hiding spots, can't remember how many it's been now. I don't kill the soldiers or anything, I just...blow them around for a while. It's kind of fun, come to that..."

A slow smile spread over the teen's face, and Zechs felt his eyebrow twitch, just a bit. It wasn't the sort of attitude he expected from someone who claimed to have destroyed too many bases to count.

"Is it Treize you're chasing?" asked Zechs.

"Don't know his name," Jin shrugged. "He's a dark guy, acts like some kind of bat when he jumps. Funny looking, really. Likes to go around blowing the heck out of things. That's his talent, blowing things up. I don't know much else about him."

Trowa and Quatre exchanged a look, and Trowa nodded to Zechs. "That's the one." He looked at Jin. "Tall, black hair and a mask over his face?"

"You know him!" Jin asked sharply, his eyes wide. "Where did you see him last? I've been looking for him for-"

"He's the person we're after," said Trowa. "We have good reason to believe he's at La Guardia base. That's where we're headed now."

"Great!" Jin cheered. "Thanks for the lift and all, but I have to get over there before he takes off again."

"Aren't you tired?" asked Yusuke. "I thought you stopped because-"

"Yeah," said Jin, "but that's okay. If I catch him, I can take a nice long rest after I'm done."

Trowa frowned and stepped to the side, blocking Jin's exit. "You'd do better to come with us. Treize, the person in charge of that base, knows we're coming. You'd be flying right into a trap if you went alone, even if it's not one for you specifically."

Jin didn't look too worried at that possibility, but he paused when Yusuke joined Trowa in blocking his way.

"That bomb guy is probably going to be heading the defense when we get there," said Yusuke. "So you don't have to worry about him running away this time."

"Really?" Jin gave a little sigh, glancing out of the plane for a moment before shrugging. "Guess there's no hurry, then. Mind if I nap on the way? One of those seats out there-"

"There are bedrooms in the back," said Quatre. "You're welcome to rest in one."

"Thanks, kid. Nice of you."

Quatre's eyes widened at being called a kid, and Trowa let out a quiet laugh. He frowned at him in reproach. He wasn't that short.

"So," Yusuke drawled, following them out of the cockpit. "Why are you after this guy?"

"I have a grudge to settle," Jin said, his cheerful manner faltering for a second. "And not much else to do with myself till I kill him."

"I think you'll have to get in line for that," Yusuke said, shooting a look over at Kurama. The redhead was staring at Jin like he wanted to say something and he had an idea it wouldn't be anything pleasant.

"No way," Jin scoffed. "I've been chasing him for months. I've got first dibs on his rodent carcass."

"Rodent?"

"Said he looked like a bat, didn't I? Flying rodent. That or a crow."

Kurama followed the teen with his eyes, but didn't say anything. Whatever the strange youth thought, he wasn't going to be the one to kill the mutant. One way or another, Kurama was determined to have that right. What Trowa and Quatre had told him of the attack, the way Yukina had looked at him when he was helpless to comfort her, what Treize had implied, and what Hiei had told Zechs - to mind his own business - it all served to put Kurama into a very murderous mood. If he was going to die, he'd spend his last days torturing the man responsible...maybe weeks if he could hold out that long without Hiei...

_'I've given him up already. How do I know he's dying? And why do I feel like I'm dying with him? Hiei...what did you do to me...? Do you have any idea? Can you feel my pain now like you did before? Because I can't, Hiei. I can't feel my pain... I can't feel anything but this tie holding me here and it's slipping. You're pulling me with you and...soon...I won't care if I die...'_

_.-.  
TBC_

_**--notes--  
**_Next part will focus on Hiei, Zechs, and Duo.


	37. Downward Spiral

**Prequel:** I've started the prequel, _'Gleam'_, that features Jin and Touya, and a mix of Naruto and YYH. It's up on ffnet.

Vague fusion with the original X-men animated series.  
_This Part:_ Featured characters include Hiei, Duo, and Zechs.  
_Category:_ Yaoi, Anime, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho  
_Warnings:_short part, reference to violence, cursing  
_Pairings:_ 1x2, 3x4, Kurama-Hiei, will be 6x5  
_Author:_ Arigatomina  
_Email:_ arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
_Website:_ www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Gmen**

_Part 37: Downward Spiral_

The first thing Hiei registered was the cold seeping through him, tingling, numbing, and familiar in an ageless sort of way. It brought forth feelings of bitter anger, sadness, abandonment, and a faint childish fear of being held over a bottomless void.

Then he felt pressure behind the cold, trailing from his shoulders to slide down his chest. Hands ghosting over the cuts.

Hiei recoiled, gnashing his teeth and glaring through blood-smeared eyes. "Don't touch me."

"Don't bother resisting," a quiet voice answered. "You won't be able to use your talent with that barrier."

It was too dark to make out more than a pale figure hovering over him. But Hiei's attention shifted at the words.

He realized there was a pressure on his forehead, something pressing down in a circle around him so tightly it must have cut into his skin. That would explain the red haze of blood that had dripped down to obscure his sight. It was clotting in his eyelashes, like sticky tears he couldn't blink away.

He tried to open his jagan, though he knew it was hopeless. The band, whatever it was, was far too tight. It hurt to even try, waking pain receptors that had fallen dormant under the pressure. He thought the eye would have healed on its own, but with that barrier keeping it closed, he couldn't tell. He'd have to remove that.

The person had shifted away from him, and Hiei disregarded it for the moment. He turned his head to stare through the dim haze. He was chained to a wall, in a seated position with his arms held out to either side of him. But the surface behind him was straight. He'd definitely been moved.

His arms were clasped to the wall with two binds each, one at the elbow and one at the wrist. He could have melted them in an instant, but only if he could get his jagan open. Without it, he only had his strength and speed to rely on. Trying to pull free only managed to make the cuts on his body open in burning, dripping tears.

A sniff sounded in the darkness, that voice speaking up again. "Don't bother."

Hiei blinked furiously, resenting his inability to cry as he tried to clear his eyes of that sticky blood. He could see a pale hand reaching toward his face and he jerked his head back with bared teeth. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Wiping your eyes."

Distrust flashed over him, but Hiei held still. And that hand turned, the back brushing over his eyes and smearing away the worst of the blood.

Once it was gone, he could make out the person in front of him, along with the fact that the room, the cell, was too dark to see anything. The boy was letting off the light, a faint, shimmering pale blue that reminded Hiei of nothing so much as his sister. He winced from the thought and forced himself to focus on the stranger.

He looked young, perhaps Kurama's age. And he was small, about Quatre's height but not so slender. If it hadn't been for his lithe muscled form, and the serious, glowing eyes, Hiei wouldn't have known how old he was. The eyes were knowing, ancient. Hiei immediately placed him as someone who was older than he looked. Like himself.

"Why were you touching me before?" asked Hiei, his voice not quite so dangerous as it had been.

"I was lowering your body temperature," the pale boy answered, his voice a soft, deep murmur. "Not enough to kill you, just enough to slow the bleeding. I'm no healer, but the smell is too strong in this place."

It was easy to know what the boy meant. Hiei wrinkled his own nose at the faintly metallic scent that only hunters or fighters really noticed. He could almost taste it, and he was faintly grateful the crow hadn't cut his mouth. He didn't like the taste of blood.

"Continue, then, if the smell bothers you," said Hiei.

A faint smirk curved the boy's lips, his eyes glinting behind that steady pale glow. "No more than it bothers you."

Hiei inclined his head and pointedly refused to smirk in return. He didn't say a word, merely watching those glowing hands as they shifted to hover over his chest again. In the light he had a clear view of the cuts, slices crisscrossing over bruised, bloody skin. His upper lip curled in a hateful sneer. As if such petty flesh wounds would be enough to make him scream...

The boy pulled back after a minute or two, the glow fading a bit until it was a faint sheen in the absolute blackness around then. Hiei lifted his head to give him a calculated stare.

"You're an ice user," said Hiei. "Can you manifest a weapon?"

Suspicion narrowed those pale blue eyes, that glow sparking brighter for a second before fading out completely. Now he was simply a pair of glowing pale blue eyes in the darkness. "Why?"

"Can you cut through the straps holding me down?" Hiei pressed, his voice deepening into a frustrated growl. "Do you have that ability or not?"

"I could cut the shackles," the boy answered, his voice just as tense. "But there's no point in it. I can't cut through the door, or the walls. I've tried."

"Maybe you can't," Hiei responded, smirking so that his narrow eyes reflected that pale blue sheen. "But _I_ can. If you cut me loose."

"How would you do that? You can't use your abilities with that band over your head. That's the reason he put it on you."

"Then cut through _it_ instead," Hiei prodded testily.

Those eyes shifted back, as if the boy had recoiled at the suggestion. Then they disappeared, leaving Hiei with nothing but a black void in front of him. He could still hear him, though, quiet steps shifting further away from him. He bit down on the frustrated growl that tensed in his throat, determined not to ruin his best chance at escape.

Minutes trickled by, long enough for Hiei's body to warm in the stuffy chamber, that scent of unchecked blood rising again. He glared furiously, shaking his head so the liquid wouldn't drip into his eyes. The movement brought a tight ache over his forehead, where that band was pressed tight, but nothing like the mindblowing pain he'd felt earlier. The jagan had healed, he just couldn't open the damn thing.

"Do you like it here?" Hiei demanded, unable to keep the growl out of his voice. "Or are you incapable of using your talent to help yourself?"

"Don't insult me."

There was a warning in that quiet whisper, a reminder that if the stranger could make a weapon to cut steel shackles, he could make a weapon to cut a mutant's head off as well. Hiei glared in response.

"I can cut the shackles," the boy continued, "but not the band on your head. I don't have enough control to make such a precise cut right now. Chances are good I'd slice your head open along with the band."

"It's worth the risk," said Hiei.

A soft sound answered that, almost like a snort or a breathy laugh. "Maybe for you. I'd be the one trapped with a bleeding corpse."

Hiei's eyes glinted, a vaguely familiar gleam striking out in them. His tone was different when he spoke again, almost taunting. It was the tone he often used with Kurama during their sparring matches.

"True," Hiei drawled, "but I'll bleed more if I'm stuck ripping my arms off. A corpse only bleeds for an hour. A dismembered body can bleed for days."

That sound repeated itself, and this time Hiei was sure it was a laugh. A bitter, macabre laugh, but still a laugh. He grinned in response, his evil expression lost in the darkness.

"Are you threatening me, then?"

"More like a warning," said Hiei. "I don't die easily, so it's fair to warn you I'll bleed a lot before I go."

Those eyes flashed back into sight, nearly a yard from him. Hiei smirked, confident the boy could see him in that faint glow. He turned his head to the left and tilted his chin a bit, his eyes darting to the side.

"Cut along the temple. Just don't cut off my ear. A straight cut down the side of my face is one thing...I'd never hear the end of it if I came back with only one ear."

"And there's a point in this?" the boy asked. "You think you could get out if you're free? What sort of talent do you have? It can't be much, or you wouldn't have been caught."

Hiei glared in irritation, not moving his head. "I'm a fire user primarily."

"How would _that_ help? You can't melt your way out without suffocating me to death. I'm not going to help you do that."

A distasteful, almost grumpy look crossed Hiei's face. "I can form a weapon to cut things, something hot enough it would slice steel like a tempered blade though ice. Without suffocating anyone. Though...I really don't like to use that skill..."

"Just get on with it," Hiei snapped.

Pale, glowing energy lit the boy across from him as he rose to his feet. It swept through the square cell on an icy breeze that ruffled Hiei's hair and made his eyes narrow. And it swirled around the ice user like a miniature whirlwind, all of that concentrated on his right arm. From where Hiei sat, he could just make out the ice forming itself into a blade that looked like nothing so much as an icy version of Kurama's vine sword.

The cold settled into the walls, and the ice user turned appraising eyes on him. "You handle the change in temperature well, considering you're a fire user."

"I'm immune to ice," Hiei admitted.

The boy had started toward him, but he halted at those words. His pale blue eyes widened in an almost fearful sort of disbelief. He took an abrupt step back, confusing Hiei to no ends.

"You're the twin...!"

Hiei turned to scowl at the boy, not sure what to make of that shocked expression. "You know me?"

"I've heard about you," the boy said. "Your sister is an ice user. They've been trying to get me to duplicate whatever she used on your foster father, that instant killing attack. But I can't. I don't know how anyone could do such a thing without leaving a mark. Do you-"

Hiei glared, his voice a sharp growl. "Forget that. I'm not the one to ask. I was unconscious when it happened. For all I know, she may not have been the one to do it at all. I've never seen her use ice to attack anyone."

"Oh..."

The voice was soft, and Hiei could hear the regret as clearly as he felt his own discomfort about the subject. He turned his head sharply, glaring at his bound right arm.

"Strike," Hiei ordered. "If you kill me, stay alive long enough for the idiots to get here so you can tell how I died. Tell him I had to try."

"Is someone coming for you? You should wait if-"

"If I don't get out on my own," said Hiei, "at least one foolish fox will come looking for me. I don't plan to let that happen. But if it does, don't let him kill you. Tell him the truth, that I ordered you to do it."

"You may have ordered, but you aren't forcing me into anything," was the soft, wary response.

"It won't matter, as long as he knows I told you to risk it. Now strike. I don't have much time left..."

Hiei heard a deep breath being drawn, but this time he didn't look to the side. He kept his head straight and his eyes closed. There was movement, light rapid steps approaching him to put momentum behind the blow. And then a blaze of pain along the side of his face, a sharp bitter sensation that sent his mind spiraling into a haze of black, welcoming flames.

.-.

The bandage was stained with dried blood, but it blossomed bright red when Duo pressed it against the gash. He didn't have anything else to use, and Hilde's cheek was bleeding as if a major artery had been severed. The girl shifted in response, dark reproachful blue eyes frowning at him.

"I said I'm fine," she muttered, pushing his hands away. "It's not the first time, you know. I've been here forever."

"And they just send people in to beat on you for no reason at all?" Duo demanded.

He sat back on his heels, folding his arms over his chest as if he had no idea he looked nearly as bad as she did. He could feel the swelling around his left eye, and his lip was split in an itchy, blistering sort of way.

They hadn't spoken since the visitor, and arguing wasn't what he'd expected. But something about her attitude rankled him. It was the same stubborn self reliance he had, and he wasn't used to having that turned against him.

"For any reason," Hilde sniffed. "Who needs a reason? Maybe his son married a mutant. Or maybe a mutant kid spat on him before he could kill her. It doesn't matter. What better way to repay a soldier than to let him take his anger out on the source of all evil? That's all I'm good for now that they're done using my talent."

"And that's a great attitude you have there," Duo scoffed, glaring away from her. "Why didn't you just get out of the way and let me handle it? I'm a lot stronger than you. I can take a few punches without bleeding all over the place."

"Oh, right," said Hilde, "and if he'd wanted to fuck someone instead of just beating on a mutant? Would you have volunteered for that, too? Big words from someone who hasn't been captive for more than a day!"

"Exactly," Duo rounded furiously. "I haven't been here. Share the grief a little, would you? I don't need a pretty girl to play martyr for me. I can damn well do that myself!"

Hilde sniffed, rolling closer to the wall and arching her back so she could sit up without using her arms. "Don't you dare try to sweet talk your way out of this. I told you to sit still."

"I'm not going to sit still and let some bastard beat on a girl with her hands tied," Duo spat.

"And if my hands were untied?"

The taunt went right through Duo's anger to knot in his throat. He glared for a minute. Then his face darkened and he dropped onto his backside in defeat. "Tied or untied. Guys that big shouldn't hit girls..."

It was exactly what Hilde had suspected. She rolled her eyes, shrugging a shoulder up to press her bleeding cheek.

"You aren't any bigger than me, and you know it," she said tiredly. "The fact is, I had it covered until you jumped in trying to play hero. It's not the first time I've seen him. If you had sat still, he would have hit me until I cried, and then left. That's all he wanted, to see me cry."

Duo's face twisted into furious disgust. "He's done it before? I'm surprised you aren't covered in bruises and scars."

"Well, he's never hit my face before," Hilde explained, scowling again. "Usually I can collapse and cry after one or two hits and it's enough to satisfy him. I wouldn't be bleeding now if you hadn't tried to get in front of me."

"I don't believe this place," said Duo. "All that talk about killing us off and they use us for punching bags?"

Hilde looked away, not moving anything but her eyes since her shoulder was still pressing the cut on her cheek. "I told you they said they'd play with you a little. What did you think I meant by that?"

"You said me," Duo reminded her, "you didn't say they'd attack _you_."

"I think you're missing the big picture here," Hilde said sharply, changing the subject. "You just showed them that you're willing to risk yourself to keep me from getting hurt - me, a complete stranger to you. How do you think they're going to use that? You're a complete idiot."

Duo blinked in surprise at the outright insult, a flash of confusion passing his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Just what I said. What do you think they'll do now that they know they can get to you through me? Maybe you didn't notice, but most of the guys here aren't interested in girls. They can get that outside, wives, girlfriends. Only one out of the dozen I've seen wanted anything but to beat on me, and I haven't seen him since. I'm telling you flat out, Duo, you're a complete idiot."

"Someone raped you!"

Hilde reacted as if she'd been struck. Then she lifted her chin, eyes glittering in dark challenge. "Don't you _dare_ look down on me."

"I...I wasn't," Duo whispered.

The girl looked like she was fully capable of braining him with her shackles if he made even the slightest motion to show pity for her. Duo swallowed the lump in his throat and lowered his eyes. He wanted to say he was sorry, but he was sure that would be enough to set her off.

"Anyway," Hilde bit out, her voice tight. "The point is, the next person to come in here will probably use me as hostage. If you so much as stand down on command, I'll kill you in your sleep. It's one thing to play hero when you have a chance of winning, but I'm not going to let anyone get hurt trying to protect me. Especially someone who doesn't owe me a damn thing. You fight your battles, and I'll fight mine. Is that clear?"

She was giving him an order. Somehow the complete absurdity managed to break through the dark well Duo had sunk into. He turned hopelessly disgruntled eyes up to Hilde and raised an eyebrow.

"So," Duo said slowly, "you'd want me to just stand by and watch someone torture you? And you'd do the same if someone wanted to hurt me? This is a great friendship we have here..."

Hilde scowled and looked away, her own expression turning just as disgruntled. "I never asked to be friends. You were supposed to try and escape the moment you woke up, killing us both in the attempt. How was I supposed to know you had this chivalrous thing going for you?"

"I'm sorry for being chivalrous," Duo offered, his expression placating. "And I'd try to stand aside, but...I honestly don't think I could. It just isn't in me. But if it comes to that, I'll try to teleport us out of here. Would that be good enough for you? If we died, at least we'd take out whoever else is in the cell, too. I really don't want to be killed in my sleep by someone I consider a friend..."

"Damn it, Duo!"

Hilde whipped her head around, turning bright eyes on him, and Duo squirmed at the sight of her angry tears. His mind flew for something to say, but all of his thoughts seemed to be hiding from him.

"Why do you have to be so nice?" asked Hilde. "You're supposed to be selfish! Aren't you the one who just teleported away and left dozens of kids to burn to death?"

All of the color fled Duo's face, and he let out a little choking sound. For a moment he stared at those accusing eyes. Then he shoved himself up and stalked to the door, his hands sliding over the seams much as he'd done a few hours ago.

"I didn't know how to teleport back then," said Duo, his voice small and his back facing Hilde. "I didn't know I'd teleported at all until a few months ago. I didn't know how I'd gotten through that door, and I blocked the memory out completely. I was a terrified child and I thought, honestly thought, they were with me until the end. I won't abandon another person like I did back then."

"But I get it now," he continued, his voice a little stronger, "why you were so shocked when I said I'd take you with me. They told you about me. No wonder you didn't believe me, knowing what I did."

He glanced over his shoulder, his expression a tight mask of determination. "I'm not going to stand by and let anyone hurt you, and I'm not going to leave you here. I'm not going to die in here, either. You know why?"

Hilde had shrunk back when he'd first started talking, guilt making her tears spill over. Now she lifted her arms to rub them across her face, scowling in stubborn anger. "No. I don't know why."

"Because I'm a rebel," Duo said, giving her a wan smile. "And I'm good at it, too. After I escaped, I spent years attacking OZ bases. I can't count how many of their soldiers I've killed since then."

"I know about that," Hilde said quietly. "They told me about that. That's why they want you dead."

"Right," said Duo, his smile widening. "Only I was going about it all wrong. Once I get out of here, I'll be even better."

"What do you mean?"

Duo crossed over to the cot and sat beside her, his expression now firm and real, no longer forced. "I've been thinking about it, the attack my friends and I have been waging on OZ. We've been hammering them with attacks, and that's just what they'd expect. That's why they're so set on identifying us and killing us off one at a time. To really take them out, we need to do it from the inside."

The girl was watching him with an interested expression, and Duo had an idea she would have been quite a rebel herself if she hadn't been taken. He turned on the cot, folding his legs and leaning toward her with a confiding look.

"The way we're rebelling now," said Duo, "we're actually making all mutants targets to blame for our actions. It's turning people against us, even though we're just trying to protect ourselves. What we need to do is form a campaign to infiltrate OZ. If we could find proof that they're making mutants the bad guys, to tighten their control on the world, we could really make a difference. We could deliver that proof to the countries and gather others against OZ.

"If we could take out the key leaders and powersources - quietly, so mutants won't be blamed, we could weaken the entire organization. We had the right idea, keeping quiet and using swift dart and hide tactics, but it was too small, too unorganized. There are mutants all over the world, some with talents so dangerous it's only a matter of time before OZ tries to have them killed."

"Like us," Hilde said sharply.

"Right. If you can kill a person just by touching him, imagine how dangerous you'd be as a rebel. It's no wonder they took you. Me, I'm the perfect infiltrator. My talents practically beg for me to play that role. And you can bet OZ has a list of the mutants with the best potential to be rebels. If we could get in touch with them..."

"You're talking about getting an alliance of mutants all over the world," Hilde breathed, her eyes widening. "It isn't possible. We're spread out so much I never met a single mutant until OZ captured me."

"You never met one who admitted he was a mutant," Duo corrected cheekily. "I'd bet you met them and they just didn't reveal themselves. As for impossible, well, the Sanq Kingdom has been doing it for years and there isn't a thing OZ can do to stop them - because it's a pacifist nation. All we'd need is a guise, something that will look good for the general human population, something that isn't threatening. Then OZ wouldn't be able to touch us, at least not publically."

"But you were taken," said Hilde. "If they sent a mutant in, they can still hurt you."

"True, but now that we know they aren't above using mutants, we'll be prepared for it."

Duo leaned back, rubbing a hand over his swollen eye and giving Hilde a wink with the other eye. "We have a lot of work ahead of us, you and me, and mutants everywhere. So I don't think we should worry about little things like who's going to take the pounding the next time that door opens. Let's just focus on getting out."

It took a long moment before Hilde realized what he'd just done. Her mouth fell open in something akin to amazement, and she couldn't help the small laugh that broke past her lips. "You just talked your way out of the most uncomfortable situation I've ever been in!"

Duo sweatdropped a little, a bashful grin passing over his face. "You caught me. But I'm entirely serious. We have much bigger things to think about than this cell. Don't sweat the small stuff. There's no point in it."

.-.

The attack on Duo and the girl he was locked away with had sobered the group to the point where Yusuke had simply left the cockpit to visit with Jin. He'd said flat out that they could hate themselves all they wanted, but unless one of them could make the plane go faster, they were wasting their energy. He was going to be clearheaded when they made their attack.

A few of the others had agreed with him, but that didn't stop the cold weight that dropped over them. Trowa took the boy's abandoned seat, Quatre held in a firm, mutually comforting embrace. And Kurama had simply closed his eyes, by all appearances falling into a sudden sleep.

Zechs remained standing in the doorway, giving a quiet commentary about the things happening in Duo's cell. Trowa could read it himself, but Quatre was too drained to use his telepathy, and Wufei couldn't read minds. He had an idea Kurama would have been happier if he'd kept the information to himself. It had been hours since the last contact with Hiei, and knowing someone had already attacked Duo wasn't comforting.

"They're arguing now," said Zechs. "But it looks like they're both okay."

"Until the next time," Wufei growled quietly. "We should be there in under an hour. What are the chances of someone else attacking before then?"

"I don't know," Zechs admitted. "I could barely read the soldier who did it. His thoughts were too distant and angry. Duo has the loudest thoughts of anyone I've ever read, and even he is just a whisper in that cell. I was lucky to get anything out of the girl when she was sober. Now that she's angry, I can't make out individual thoughts."

The sun was rising in the horizon, a mocking testimony to how slow their plane was compared to the rogue mutant's speed. And naturally, Quatre blamed himself for having purchased a comfortable plane instead of a jet. Nevermind that there was no such thing as a private jet, or that he'd been in a hurry when he'd bought the plane during their first escape to the Sanq Kingdom. They had been too slow to protect Duo from that attack, and it was his plane that made them so slow.

Zechs winced away from the boy's guilty thoughts, knowing better than to say a word. If Trowa couldn't talk Quatre out of blaming himself, no one could.

He turned to watch Kurama instead, an occupation he'd found endlessly worrisome. The teen was growing paler by the hour, wisps of silver now visible in his red hair. And his eyes, the last time he'd looked up, had been distant and dazed, as if he weren't entirely aware of what was going on around him. He hadn't spoken at all since Zechs had relayed Hiei's last message to him.

A sensation pressed against Zechs' mind, as if in response to his thought. He lurched back against the wall, but didn't notice the surprised looks his friends turned on him. His thoughts were drawn inward, swirled up and swept away until he found himself in a familiar black void. The dark serpent was curled across from him, larger this time, and brighter somehow.

_I'm finished waiting._

Zechs almost took a step toward the thing, his worry riding his thoughts. _'I haven't been able to reach you at all! Kurama is-'_

A backlash of flame erupted between him and that form, the reproach thick in that warning.

_Don't interrupt, there isn't time for it. I'm finished waiting._

Confusion broke Zechs' concentration, and he expressed that in a small whispering thought. _'I don't understand.'_

_He doesn't have the strength to wake, and I won't allow them to be reborn again. He couldn't bear it...not now, it's too soon. I'm tired of sitting back..._

_He had a message for you, so unimportant, but he was adamant. Tell the fox not to hurt the ice user if I, if we fail. I won't fail, so it's meaningless, but he insisted I tell you._

_'I don't understand,'_ Zechs thought furiously. _'What are you going to do?'_

_Live, survive, what I, what we have always done._

Dark flames billowed up, filling the void and snapping sharp hungry tendrils at him. Zechs sank away from them, unable to break the feeling that something evil was grinning from inside those flames.

_When we meet again...I'll kill you. Look forward to it._

There was no backlash, nothing violent or forceful like he'd felt when he was pushed away from Hiei's mind. Instead, the real world returned in a slow daze of sound and sensation. Zechs found himself sitting with his back against the wall, his eyes wide and shocked.

The others were looking at him in surprise, and even Kurama had lifted his head to turn faint, disinterested eyes on him. Zechs shook his head roughly and snapped himself out of his stupor.

"It was Hiei," said Zechs. "Or rather, his subconscious. I think it plans to take control of Hiei long enough to let him escape. It told me he didn't have the strength to do it on his own."

A flicker flashed over Kurama's eyes, that dull sheen brightening into a more healthy mix of green and gold. Zechs did his best to keep the worry out of his voice, not wanting to ruin that spark of awareness.

"Hiei said to tell you not to kill the ice mutant if he fails," he told Kurama. "I don't know what he means by that, but I know he wasn't talking about Yukina. It's possible he's met someone. I can't sense him at all, or anyone else in contact with him. I can't seek him out past the barrier wherever he is, but somehow his subconscious can communicate through it."

Kurama stared, his gaze not missing how pale the man's face was, or the slight darting movement of Zechs' eyes. "What are you leaving out?"

Zechs flinched, pressing back against the wall as if he fully expected Kurama to attack him. Trowa reacted to that with a wary look at the redhead. But Kurama hadn't moved, not even clenching his hands.

"Zechs?" asked Trowa.

Pale blue eyes flashed to him before dropping again, more color draining from Zechs face. Trowa frowned, pushing against the mental barrier Zechs had placed in his mind. He slid past it, rather than punching through, and withdrew almost immediately. Shock spread over his face, and he shook his head at the white-haired man.

"You don't really think Hiei would kill you," Trowa whispered, "do you?"

Kurama jerked, a strange twitch that made his hair flash silver for a second before returning to that red and white mix. His eyes remained golden, fully lucid and desperately defensive.

"He wouldn't," Kurama said harshly, glaring at Zechs as if the man had made the accusation aloud. "Hiei would never do such a thing without good cause. Never."

Zechs swallowed roughly, more than a little afraid of the death threat in those golden eyes, but also curious that _this_ had managed to break Kurama's sinking depression.

"I know," Zechs said faintly, "I know _Hiei_ wouldn't. But...that's what it said..."

_.-.  
TBC_

**_-notes-  
_**Next part will focus on...well, just about everyone; notably Zechs, Kurama, Duo, Wufei, Jin, and Yusuke.


	38. Death and Rebirth

**Author's Notes:** My Hilde is a spunky girl, very similar to Duo in her good nature and willingness to fight her own battles. I'm not making a DuoxHilde pairing, but I do think they'd get along very well, practically siblings. I'm actually thinking of a DorothyxHilde pairing for the sequel (not explicit - I don't do explicit yuri, just shoujo ai). So no worries about her ruining the 1x2, she's Duo's sister-character (like Wufei and Duo), not a rival for Heero.

Someone mentioned that Kuwabara's eyes are brown in YYH. Actually, he doesn't have a color, he just has little round dark brownish black dots in his eyes, no separation between the irises and the pupils. Since I'm writing this fic as if the anime characters were real people, I gave him irises to go with his pupils. And I think they'd be blue (since Kurama has green eyes, Hiei has red eyes, Yukina has pinkish-red eyes, and Yusuke has brown eyes - so giving Kuwa blue eyes makes him different). Just a dash of author's perogative to give a touch of realism to dear pupil-eyed Kuwabara. ;p

Vague fusion with the original X-men animated series.  
_This Part:_ Featured characters include Zechs, Kurama, Duo, Wufei, Jin, and Yusuke.  
_Category:_ Yaoi, Anime, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho  
_Warnings:_ short part, violence, angst, shonen ai  
_Pairings:_ 1x2, 3x4, will be 6x5, KuramaxHiei, YusukexJinxTouya  
_Author:_ Arigatomina  
_Email:_ arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
_Website:_ www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Gmen**

_Part 38: Death and Rebirth_

They hid the plane, Jin proving very useful in the way he blew the neighboring trees and brush all over the thing. He swore it wasn't damaged and that he'd be able to clear it again once they were finished. Kurama had disabled the heat trigger in Duo's cell, so they now had precisely forty-six minutes to get him out before OZ's sensors would register the change.

With the layout of the base, they knew where Duo was located, and they had an idea where Hiei was. There were a number of cells in the interior of the base, but two had more reinforcements than the others. It was likely that Hiei would be placed in the second one. The areas were not far from each other, both on the south side of the base. That was where they waged their attack.

Zechs and Trowa scouted ahead and found quite a bit of movement in the yards, definitely preparation for their arrival. Quatre hung back. He was keeping a strict damper on his abilities, storing up whatever energy he could. It wouldn't be safe for him to stay in the plane any more than it would have been to leave him at the school. And as little as he'd used of his telepathy, he was sure he'd be of some help if the rogue showed himself. This time he'd control the mutant or knock himself out trying.

They walked in a small cluster, letting the telepaths lead the way a few yards ahead of them as they broke the forest. They weren't sneaking in, and they weren't rushing. They were making an open attack and God help any soldier who tried to stop them.

The moment they were within sight of the base - a stark series of lowlevel gray buildings circled by a dirt yard that was spotted with vehicles, and a large hanger just visible on the other side of the complex - soldiers began pouring out of the doors, others taking shots from behind the vehicles they'd been using as cover. They'd definitely been expecting them.

Trowa was the first to react. He concentrated entirely on protecting his friends from the bullets, and dropped his guard. It wasn't true control since he couldn't think clearly enough to make an offensive move, but he had set himself up to play the defense.

That bright glittering green energy of his billowed around him as he set to flying between those bullets and the small cluster of mutants behind him. His only thought was to keep them from getting through, specifically, to keep them from harming Quatre. And with his energy barrier, he was perfect for the job.

Quatre ducked back the moment Trowa unleashed his energy. For the moment he was no more useful on this battleground than Zechs was, and the two of them eased behind their friends. Until they could help, they wouldn't hinder the attack by getting in the way. Zechs was keeping a close telepathic watch on Duo, and Quatre was focusing entirely on his filter against Trowa. Once it was set in place, he turned his attention to watch for the rogue. That mutant could wreck havoc on them if he caught them off guard.

Though he'd come late to the little group, Jin was more than happy to act as a team player. He floated off to the side of the group so Trowa would have one fewer people to protect. And he set up a blistering wind between himself and the men firing on him. Bullets were actually very small pebbles when it came down to it, and his winds could move boulders. Needless to say, he wasn't afraid of being shot. A wild, almost maniacal grin spread over his face as he blew small clusters of soldiers away, cracking some against each other and leaving them to land in the rising dust.

Yusuke had taken point opposite Jin, also to keep Trowa from having to protect him. He didn't exactly have a good protection against bullets, but he wasn't helpless, either. He had a group attack, after all.

Bright white light lit around him and he clenched his fists, pinpointing the biggest groups - namely the soldiers hiding behind the largest vehicles. He unleashed his aforementioned shadow boxing attack, a series of white blasts that knocked the tank away and sent the men flying back so hard that a few crashed through the wall of the base behind them.

The vehicles were clear conductors, and Wufei was occupied with electrocuting anyone who dared to try and use one against them. A few of the machines looked like some advanced sort of weaponry he didn't recognize, but they couldn't fire when their operators were writhing from a lightning strike. Now wasn't the time to try and curve his lightning attacks, it was a slaughter, pure and simple.

And slaughter it was, the moment Kurama moved forward. His golden eyes had shifted around, taking in each of the mutants and their targets. Jin and Yusuke were going mostly after groups, Wufei was focusing his talents on the weapons, and Trowa was acting as a physical shield to the four mutants behind him. That left a lot of soldiers crouched and firing, spread out in various places around the yard.

Kurama gave a sweeping look over them. Then he stepped forward and ruddy red energy lit up around him, sweeping his white-streaked red hair into waves.

Wufei sent him a startled look, and Kurama crouched down to press his palms flat against the ground. There was a light tremor beneath them, just enough to make Yusuke glance back as well. Then thick blades of grass stabbed up in the yard, impaling soldiers left and right, some splitting open to tear the men apart from the inside.

In a matter of minutes the yard was a smoky haze of bodies and body parts. Kurama's plant skewers fell limp to the ground, the bodies falling to lie in muddy pools of blood. And the base looked like a ghost facility, the walls marked here and there by Yusuke's attacks, doors blown off, and blood and dust splattered up to mar the dark gray metal.

It was stunning how quickly they'd massacred a hundred or more men, without taking a single injury themselves. But it was necessary. They'd teach OZ the dangers of taking one of their own.

Trowa's energy flickered wildly for a moment before cooling. He floated down to the ground just as Jin did, Yusuke moving back to the group. They were ready to advance, all aware that the rogue - the only real opposition they'd have here - had yet to show himself.

One of those skewed doors fell in a muffled rise of dust, making them jump a bit in surprise. Trowa immediately ducked in front of the group, ready to take up the defense again. The doorway remained dark and shadowed, only that dust drifting from where the metal door had fallen.

A dark figure moved from the shadows there, stepping out into the morning light. And Kurama stumbled, helpless tears filling his eyes.

"Hiei..."

Zechs flinched, his gaze locked on the only eye the boy had open. Hiei was glowing a dark purplish black, but his eyes were closed, his jagan a bright green spark in the middle of a blood-covered face. Even from yards away, he could see the dull glint in the cut that lined the side of the boy's head. He couldn't be alive, shouldn't have been alive...

Yusuke took a stilted step toward his friend, knowing Kurama was in no condition to move. And Hiei disappeared in a swirl of black flame to reappear in front of Zechs.

Searing heat cut into him, and his blood boiled up into his mouth. Zechs let out a soft, choking gasp, his hands clutching at Hiei's bloody shoulders. He marveled at the absolute silence coming from the boy in front of him as his vision turned black. Then he fell.

The dark flaming sword disappeared the moment the two mutants collapsed, their blood mingling beneath them. Kurama fell to his knees a foot away and let out a low keening cry.

Quatre reeled away, his hands clenched over his heart at the backlash of emotion, absolute devastation. He barely heard Trowa's soft words when the boy knelt and felt for a pulse, pronouncing them dead. All he could feel was the impossible well of hatred and agony radiating off Kurama, so much worse than even Trowa's repressed emotions. One person couldn't feel that much horror and stay sane.

A biting, ripping explosion struck the small group and they scattered instinctively, Trowa returning to his offensive pose, and Quatre tearing his mind away from that maw of darkness to focus it on the rogue.

Wufei, Yusuke, and Jin exchanged one quick look and placed themselves around their fallen comrades. Kurama remained motionless, blood dripping from the scrape on his cheek, his eyes a blank blackish green shade. He didn't seem aware of anything, not even the explosions that played around him.

- - -

The attack was felt as far inside the base as Duo's cell, vague tremors echoing through the steel. He and Hilde were on their feet when the first soldier entered, ready to teleport or die trying.

Duo darted forward in time to knock the man's gun aside. He knew it had to be his friends staging a rescue, and wasn't about to be assassinated before they could get in. More soldiers entered the room after the first, and he found himself engaged in an all out brawl. His attention was on not getting shot, but some startled bit of him noted that Hilde hit pretty hard for a girl.

It wasn't until the first shot was fired that he realized what was going on. The soldiers were using darts, not bullets. They weren't trying to kill them, they were trying to keep them from escaping and possibly aiding their friends.

A sharp cry sounded seconds before Hilde was knocked into him, and Duo caught her around the waist. His first thought was that she'd been struck with one of the darts, but she struggled to get out of his hold, a furious gleam in her eyes. He let her go, one brief appreciative grin at the way she launched herself at her attacker. Then he turned right into a spray of blood that speckled his face.

There was no pain, but Duo jerked back, his eyes dropping to see where he'd been hit. He didn't understand until the man in front of him collapsed with a gurgling sound. Hilde gasped near him, and he turned to see the rest of the soldiers fall like puppets who'd had their strings cut.

"Duo..."

Something twisted in him, a clenching pain in his throat. And Duo swallowed it, his eyes wide and almost too blurred to see the boy who'd appeared in front of him in a flash of speed too fast for him to follow. "Heero...?"

"Can you walk?" asked Heero, his voice soft. "And you?"

He turned his head, dull dark blue eyes moving to the girl who stood back from them. She was watching with wide, wary eyes, the bruises making her face look as beaten as Duo. When she didn't answer, he turned back to pull Duo's arm over his shoulders.

"We have to move now," he said quietly. "Someone disabled the sensors, but the soldiers have orders to kill any mutants they see outside of the cells."

He sent another, almost sluggish look at the girl. "Stay close."

Duo gulped again, unable to help the tears that spilled over his eyes. "Heero, what are you doing here?"

A startled, almost wary look flashed over Heero's pale face, and he turned to stare at Duo. "I'm helping you... Did you think I wouldn't come as soon as I heard you were captured? I would have been here within a few hours, but..."

He shook his head, hitching Duo closer to his side and starting toward the door. "We have to hurry."

"I can walk," Duo protested. "I'm just a little shaky, that's all. Hilde-"

He blinked and turned wide eyes on the girl, surprised to see that she hadn't moved from her place in the center of the cell. "Hilde! Come on. Heero's a friend."

Hilde almost raised an eyebrow at that, since it was clear to her he was more than just a friend. But she nodded quickly and joined them near the open door.

They were about to cross through when the entire building shook around them like nothing so much as an earthquake.

- - -

The dark rogue mutant was toying with them, a display of speed and darting explosions that sent Jin into a spatter of strange words mixed with more familiar curses. He was determined to help Yusuke protect his friends, even if two of them looked pretty dead. But standing back and letting that mutant play with them...it killed what little patience the wind master had.

And it was very clear who the rogue was targeting, the bodies, and Kurama. Luckily between Trowa's energy shield and Jin's ability to blow away just about anything - including invisible clouds of combustible particles - they'd kept the three from being hit by more than light, glancing explosions. It was wearing them thin, particularly the defenders. Quatre was just coming into his own power.

He'd realized after a few minutes of trying to control the rogue, that it wasn't his powers that were failing. There was something different about the mutant, something in his black mind that did more than just resist being controlled. It was as if the man knew how to take hold of his controlling mind and twist it to his own advantage. And he'd had an epiphany as to why.

The man _was_ a controller, only he did it on a molecular level, something so precise he was almost...wired to resist being controlled himself.

Quatre couldn't control him, but he could distract him. Each of his assaults on the rogue's mind ended with a slight disorientation for the mutant. That gave Yusuke a chance to make his own quick attacks, since he was the fastest one among them now that Kurama was unresponsive.

Whatever his friends thought, Kurama wasn't as unaware as he appeared. He knew they were under attack, and some part of him was waiting for the inevitable failure of their defense. When that happened, he'd take things into his own hands, one final tap of his power that would leave nothing of the mutant who'd taken his life from him. For now, he couldn't move. He was waiting to see where Hiei went...

_'There has to be something...I know there has to be. I don't understand it, but I know. He's still there. Trapped...? I can't follow if he doesn't go on... Did you follow me like this, Hiei? Could you see where I went? I'm older than you...two years or more... Will it take me that long to know where you went? Did you look so long...alone...? I won't leave you alone, baby, I promise I won't. Just...let me see where you go...! Spirit...youko...I can follow, I can. I don't care if I have to start over again, I swear I don't, just... Why are you still here...?'_

A dim light flickered over the two, highlighting Hiei's bloody face where it had fallen close to Zechs' neck. The energy reflected off Kurama's glassy eyes, red and gold, warm and inviting. Color swam back to his gaze, but he knew it wasn't Hiei, not that pale blue of-

_'Koorime, darling...precious darling, so darkened by your suffering, but it never touched you, the true you... Is this what's holding you here...?'_

The golden red light flickered higher, swelling up and flowing outward. Kurama reeled back as it struck him like a warm, tantalizing wave that left him stunned. He couldn't blink or breathe, but he felt as if he were being bathed in comfort where nothing in the world mattered.

The others turned at the blossoming well of energy only to be stunned on contact. Even the rogue was struck numb, his arms outstretched as if time stood still.

- - -

A tremor shook the building around them, and Heero pulled Duo and the girl away from the door, just as a thick light swamped over them. The walls burned in a blinding reddish flame that flickered over them, warm and inviting, but somehow terrifying at the same time. And a shower of ash fell on their heads so that they would have cowered if they hadn't been frozen by that flowing energy.

An eternity might have passed before the haze cleared, clouds of dust and ash sparkling in the bright sunlight. The building was no more than layers of ash around them, and they could see soldiers and men standing, sitting, staring from the ruins with as much confusion and shock as they felt. And they could see their friends across the way, blurry in the wake.

The energy, floating like a flood over an island, hovered. It flickered and solidified into a giant shape that stretched out across the sky, wide fiery wings spread to blot out the sun. Then it screamed and almost every living being on the yard cowered, holding their ears to block out the sound.

Yusuke gasped, his paralysis breaking as if that sound had shattered it around him. He stared up at the flaming creature, a bird as large as a mountain, and he felt himself shivering at a sudden urge to get closer. It was hovering, burning in the air above Kurama, above the bodies. And he couldn't for the life of him understand why his friends were holding their ears, when the sound was so invigorating.

The energy exploded outwards, blinding everyone who'd dared to peak up at it and knocking Kurama back so that he lay senseless in the dust. Yusuke threw his hands up to protect his eyes, his ears ringing in the silence that followed.

Panic struck a few minutes later.

The humans, soldiers but still just human, turned and ran like so many infidels before a wrathful God. Their confusion sent them stumbling and clawing through piles of ash as they made their way out of the ruins of the complex, a wild escape into the forest that loomed in the distance. Two mutants followed, sending wary and stunned looks at the glowing pair before turning to disappear into the mob of humans fleeing the place.

Heero prodded the boy on his arm, urging Duo and Hilde out of the ash and toward the spot where their friends had stood. They moved like refugees from a storm, supporting each other and stumbling through the almost liquid debris. And they found the others huddled mere feet from where the bird had been, crouched near Kurama's prone form.

Zechs was standing across from them, his expression blank, but his eyes glowing with that same red fire. Hiei was cradled in his arms, so small he looked more like a child than he ever had.

He moved toward them with slow, almost tentative steps. They held their place, watching him with varying degrees of relief, confusion, wary suspicion, and disbelief. There wasn't any emotion in his glowing eyes, but he opened his mouth when he reached them, his lips forming words that couldn't be heard. Heero read them clearly and relaxed his protective hold on Duo.

Wufei and Yusuke were closest to Kurama, but they didn't interfere when Zechs crouched in front of them, one pale hand reaching out to touch the redhead's cheek. Kurama twitched, as if a shock ran through him.

_'He didn't leave without you...don't leave without him.'_

Dazed green eyes blinked themselves clear enough to make out the man crouched in front of them. And Kurama's gaze locked on Hiei's hidden face, his arms moving out to accept the body. A hand caught his instead, pressing something cold into his palm and curling his fingers closed around it. Only then did Zechs give Hiei to him.

A soft sigh was breathed against his neck, that warm body curling closer to him, and Kurama whimpered. He wasn't aware of shifting to his silver fox form, or of the people around him. He simply curled his arms tight around Hiei and cried into the boy's dark hair. Warm, soft, alive.

The energy flickered in Zechs' eyes and he let out a shaky breath, turning to look at the ash where the building had stood. He pushed upwards, trying to climb to his feet, and a shoulder placed itself under his arm.

The man looked like he was going to collapse, and Wufei sent a pleading glance to Yusuke. The boy quickly took Zechs' other arm, to lend the taller man support.

"Easy," said Wufei, his voice faint.

Zechs shook his head, the energy in his eyes flickering like a dying flame and giving glimpses of the usual pale blue irises. "Ice..."

Confusion pulled Wufei's face, but Trowa stiffened in understanding. He moved from where he'd been crouched behind Quatre.

"He's there," said Trowa, gesturing to a spot in the ashes. "Unconscious, but alive and-"

He blinked sharply and turned wide eyes on Jin. The redhaired mutant was still crouched where he'd fallen, his expression stunned and confused. He tilted his head to the side when he noticed the way Trowa was staring at him.

"What?" asked Jin. "Why are you looking at me?"

"You didn't tell us you were looking for someone," Trowa started. "It wasn't even on your mind when you-"

Zechs pulled away from the boys supporting him and crossed to the ashes, wading into them like a sleepwalker. He stumbled and fell, the ashes billowing a bit before turning into a cloudy haze that dusted his white hair. Trowa flew to him, pulling off his jacket and bundling it to keep the ashes from coating it. A minute of light brushing and they'd found the ice user, still lying where he'd collapsed earlier.

"Overextended himself," Trowa said, pushing Zechs' hands away. "There's nothing to heal."

Zechs drew in a shallow breath, his eyes fading to their normal pale blue shade. "He saved Hiei's life...didn't end it..."

The whitehaired man took one more shuddering breath and sagged backwards into the ashes. Trowa winced at the cloud that rose over them, and sent another look at Jin.

"Your friend's alive," Trowa said sharply. "Touya."

Jin let out a little sound and was abruptly hovering over them in a whirl of wind that cleared every last bit of ash away from the spot. He nearly knocked Trowa over when he caught sight of the blue-haired boy they'd uncovered.

"Touya! Wake up, To-ya!"

"Not...To-ya..."

Trowa moved aside, still giving the redhead a strange look. He'd done a light reading of Jin when the boy had joined their group, but he hadn't seen anything about a friend of his having been taken captive. It made him wonder if the boy had some sort of block on his thoughts. Unless he'd thought his friend dead...

Wufei and Quatre joined them, helping to wipe the ash away from Zechs face, and sending startled looks at Jin. The redhead was babbling on to a dazed looking boy with pale blue hair, who was somewhat covered in gray ash.

"And you're all dirty," Jin was saying, his blue eyes wide and disapproving. "But you're alive, and it'll wash right off. I didn't think you were still alive, you know. I should have known you'd be okay, you're a survivor, the best I know. It's just that I looked for months and I didn't see any mutants, so I thought he'd killed you. I was going to get him for you, though, To-ya! I chased him all over the place, and I had him this time. But then that fire bird burnt everything and he ran off. Did you see that? Wasn't it the strangest thing you've seen since Naruto foxed-out on us? You're awfully quiet, To-ya, aren't you glad to see me? Wait till you meet the new friends I made. I bet you'll like Yusuke, he's really cute and fun. Not as pretty as you, To-ya, but that's what-"

"Breathe, Jin," the boy said, pushing himself out of that tight hug. "And don't call me To-ya. It's Touya."

"Hai!" Jin grinned, jerking the smaller boy back into a hug. "I'm just really happy to see you, Touya. Aren't you happy to see me? You don't even look surprised."

"You promised you wouldn't follow," Touya said quietly, blinking dazed eyes on the group of teenagers a few feet from him. "You were supposed to stay safe."

"Ah," Jin nodded, "but you didn't really believe me, did you? Of course I followed. Don't you know me at all?"

The boy was giving him a wide-eyed pout. Touya sighed and stopped fighting the smothering embrace. He merely watched the strangers who were currently sneaking covert looks at them. And his gaze locked on a pair of people who were crouched a few yards from them.

"The fire user," Touya said sharply, his eyes widening. "And the fox...? Did he live? I don't remember what happened after I cut him loose..."

"Hm?"

Jin blinked and glanced over to where Kurama was still holding Hiei, seemingly content to stay there indefinitely. Then he grinned at Yusuke, who'd come over to stand near Zechs and Wufei.

"Yusuke," Jin called, "is the little guy a fire user? He's okay, isn't he? And come meet Touya!"

Trowa was lifting Zechs in preparation to take the man to the plane, but he glanced at Yusuke when the boy stepped away from them.

"Tell them to join us if they want," said Trowa. "We can't stay here long."

Yusuke gave a quick nod and went over to Jin, a wry smirk twisting his lips when he saw the way the redhead's pointed ears were twitching. His pale-haired friend was looking up at him with a droll, almost resigned expression.

"Nice to meet you," said Yusuke. "We're heading out now, so if you guys want to tag along, you're welcome to."

"Sure," Jin grinned. "Come on, Touya. You okay to walk? I can carry you if-"

"I'm fine," Touya said quickly, shooting a look at Yusuke's smirk.

Jin noticed the wary look and hopped up, pulling Touya with him. His friend tried to sidle away a little, but he tugged him close enough to drop an arm over his shoulder.

"Don't worry about Yusuke," he said cheerily. "He's fun. And his friends are nice, too, I guess. Didn't really talk to them much, but they gave me a ride on their plane earlier. They're all mutants. Yusuke says they have a school full of mutants, isn't that wild? Just like our house! I told him a little about our house, but I didn't say anything about you, Touya. I didn't really want to talk about you since I thought you were, well, you know, dead and all. But you're not! I haven't seen you in months and it feels like years, really. Wait till I tell you about the bases I blew away, lots of them. Don't worry, Touya, I'll have you laughing in no time at all!"

Yusuke grinned a little at the happy chatter, and followed the pair over to where the others were. Trowa and Wufei were supporting Zechs, while Quatre had somehow talked Kurama into moving. The silver-haired mutant was standing beside the blonde, that long silver tail flicking behind him. The sight made Yusuke laugh, and he winked at the reproachful look Kurama shot him.

"Don't worry," Yusuke smirked, his gaze dropping to where Hiei was curled against Kurama's chest. "I won't wake him up. It's just nice to see you happy again."

A faint smile claimed Kurama's face, and he turned away, heading across the yard toward the place where they'd hidden the plane.

The rest of them followed, none pausing to so much as remark on Heero's presence. With everything that had happened, his timely arrival seemed natural. There would be plenty of time to discuss things once they were all safely back in the Sanq Kingdom.

_- - -  
TBC_

**_-notes-  
_**Next part will focus on Kurama, Hiei, Wufei, Quatre, Duo, and Yusuke. Expect shonen ai, possible angst, and lots (I mean LOTS) of dialogue. As I've said, it will be a long part, so it may take a while for me to write it. Lemon-lime content is now official for part 40, but I'll post a cut version for ffnet, with a link to the uncut version on my site for the older readers.


	39. All That Remains

Vague fusion with the original X-men animated series.

**This Part:** Featured characters include Wufei, Kurama, Quatre, Une, Duo, Jin, and Yusuke.

_Category:_ Yaoi, Anime, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho  
_Warnings:_ lots of dialogue, reference to violence, shonen ai  
_Pairings:_ 1x2, 3x4, will be 6x5, KuramaxHiei, YusukexJinxTouya  
_Author:_ Arigatomina  
_Email:_ arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
_Website:_ www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Gmen**

_Part 39: All that Remains_

The trip back had been strange, at least, it would have looked that way to an outsider. The group had split apart the moment the plane took off, Wufei piloting with Yusuke watching on, Trowa and Quatre sitting together in the back, across the aisle from Jin and Touya, while Kurama had disappeared with Hiei into one of the back bedrooms across from where they'd placed Zechs, and Heero had passed out and been moved to a bedroom as well, by Duo and Hilde. But it wasn't the separation that stood out as odd, it was the absolute silence.

Yusuke hadn't said a word, and Wufei had found himself resenting the fact that his friends were comfortably paired off while he was once again placed in the role of pilot. It might not have bothered him if Yusuke hadn't looked unusually morose when he boarded the plane. He'd felt uncomfortable striking up a conversation, so the trip seemed to take longer than it had on the way to the base.

Whether the seeming length was his imagination or not, it did take hours. And no sooner had they landed, than the groupings went off in their own directions. Yusuke stuck around long enough to help him bring Zechs inside then he, too, had disappeared.

Wufei simply wasn't enjoying the alone-time.

Ironically enough, the moment he found himself with someone who wanted to talk, he was wishing he could be alone instead. Relena had swarmed him the moment she heard something had happened to Zechs, and giving her a recap of what took place at the base was uncomfortable at best.

The upside was that Wufei now knew why Zechs had taken to sleeping in the cafeteria. Relena had placed her brother in his old room, and if the decor said anything, he'd had quite the dreary childhood. As far as Wufei could tell, everything in the place was the same dark shade of brown, even the old fashioned lamp shades. It was quite larger than the rooms students were given, so he supposed that counted for something.

Relena was seated in a cushioned chair next to Zechs' bed, Wufei leaning against the wall at her back as he gave an edited version of what had happened. He didn't want to be the one to explain to a possibly queasy pacifist female about the slaughter they'd instigated. But he did have to tell her what had caused Zechs to be in a sleep deep enough that he hadn't woken during the transfer from the plane to his room.

"Trowa checked their pulses and pronounced them dead," Wufei was saying, "but it's possible he was mistaken and Zechs healed himself and Hiei. We do know for sure that Hiei would have died if he hadn't done what he did. I don't think any of us believe he actually meant to kill Zechs, just to incite his power."

Relena had been horrified when Wufei told her Hiei had stabbed her brother for no reason. Naturally, knowing Yukina the way she did, she hadn't believed it. Now she just shook her head in a vague daze, her voice soft. "But they're both all right?"

"Only sleeping," said Wufei. "Trowa said it was normal sleep, though he thought Zechs could be out for a day or more since he used up most of his energy."

Reaching to catch one of Zechs' pale hands, Relena leveled a hurt scowl on her brother's face. Her voice was soft, but she didn't really care if Wufei overheard her. Zechs probably couldn't hear her either, but that wasn't going to stop her from saying it. "I know you're going to leave again, Milliardo. You kept avoiding me, not meeting my eyes, and I knew in my heart you'd leave me again. But I never thought you'd _die_ on me..."

Wufei shifted against the wall, his dark eyes flicking over to look at the door. He knew this was his cue to leave, but she could have simply said as much before she started talking like that. He wasn't the type to listen in to personal words, and he really didn't want to see her if she started crying before he could get out of the room. He'd never been one who could deal well with tears.

He sidled quietly toward the door, but Relena gasped, catching his attention.

"Something's wrong," Relena said softly, her eyes wide. "Look."

She drew Wufei to the bed and showed him the pale hand she was holding, turning it so he could see the palm. Wufei did his best to keep an open mind, but he couldn't help the eyebrow he raised at her.

"There was a scar here," she explained. "I think he was ten at the time. We were playing in the attic and he almost fell out of the window. I remember he bled all over the table before he let me get father - he was so angry he just wrapped it up and sent us to our rooms. But it's not there..."

Relena stood, looking a little frightened as she stared hard at Zechs' face. Then she turned wide eyes on Wufei, her expression enough to make the boy take a quick step back. "Does he look younger to you? He looked so old when he came back, as if those years had added decades to his eyes. But now..."

Wufei shook his head. He didn't know what she wanted him to say. "People tend to look younger in their sleep."

Even as he said it, he didn't believe it. The reddish orange flames and that energy, the shape of that talent - a bird made of red fire that left ashes everywhere it went and somehow revived both Zechs and Hiei? That was a legend even he had heard of. Born from ashes, risen fresh, it certainly fit what they'd seen on that yard. A phoenix made of pure energy.

He knew it wasn't an attack of any kind. No human or mutant had been harmed by that energy, while all of the dead material - buildings, weapons, things not in immediate contact with the people - had been reduced to pure ash. And the two seemingly dead mutants were healed. Whether Zechs and Hiei had actually died and been revived, he couldn't say. But something enormous had happened out there. He wouldn't even try explaining it without speaking with the two people who were responsible for the events.

"I suppose we'll find out when he wakes up," Wufei offered.

"Yes," Relena sighed. "Thank you for your time. I'll stay with him."

Wufei gave a sharp nod and left her to it. He was relieved to be out of the room, but part of him was reluctant and irritated that she'd displaced him. It reminded him of how much he'd instantly disliked Relena when he first met her - or rather, when he'd first met the imposter with her face and voice.

Now he had to admit it wasn't her so much as her interference. He'd disliked that Une, pretending to be Relena, had interrupted his time with Zechs. It made him wonder, if things had gone differently, if he would have gotten up the nerve to proposition the man himself instead of waiting the way he had.

He hadn't forgotten his conversation with Kurama, and he wasn't considering settling just because he'd found himself alone. It was the urge he had to be the first person to talk to Zechs when the man woke up, something he thought bordered on jealousy of Relena's place in that room. If he was jealous of Zechs' sister, he wasn't settling. He was just admitting his interest.

.-.

Having found that he couldn't put Hiei down, Kurama had taken him downstairs so he could hold the boy in privacy. He hadn't gotten much sleep on the plane trip back to the school, and he thought it might be easier if they were in their own room. Every time he'd dozed on the plane, he'd loosened his hold on Hiei, making his friend let out a little sound of protest that had woken him to sharp guilt.

Now he was comfortably ensconced in their room, a single lamp filtering through his favorite dangling ivy - the kind Hiei liked because it was poisonous to most everyone but them. He was looking at the stone Zechs had pressed into his palm on the battleground, his other arm wrapped tightly around Hiei.

It was a small black pearl, with just a hint of swirling gray shadows in the light, a counter to the way Yukina's gems glittered in the light. A small, compressed bit of energy, it was roughly the size of a tiny grape. But it was profound in a wonderful and horrifying sort of way, at least to Kurama.

He knew enough about Yukina to understand that her teargems weren't really tears that froze into crystals. When she cried she let out liquid energy, something so concentrated it hardened in the air, trapped and crystalized to the point where she couldn't absorb it back into herself. That was what made her tears so dangerous, and the gems so precious. And it was the reason Hiei hadn't cried in the six years that Kurama had known him.

So that small black stone, with shadows like liquid gray onyx, was Hiei's tear. Or rather, his energy given form.

_'A bloodstone. The last drop of blood from a dragon that embodies the lifeforce of the deceased. Only it's not some mythical story, it's Hiei, proof that he died. So why am I holding it and feeling this? I don't want proof, I don't even want to think how I felt staring down at him. So why...? Why does it feel like a gift I never dreamed I could have? If having him die is the only way to get it, how can I want it so much? Why does holding it feel as perfect as having Hiei breathing, sleeping against me? Yukina's gems never felt like this...'_

He poured a bit of his own energy into his palm, a tight vine wrapping around the gem so it was nestled in a four-strand basket. There was no possibility of him digging a hole into that gem, the way Relena had when she and Yukina had fashioned their necklaces from Yukina's teargems. Kurama would sooner bore a hole in his wrist, than mar that gem. And the tiny vines would hold it so long as he was alive.

He lifted his hair out of the way and coaxed the vine up onto his neck until it formed a loose necklace, which he quickly ducked away in his shirt. He'd have to tell Hiei about it when he woke up, but he didn't want to give the stone to him.

_'He won't want it. He'll be sickened to know he shed it, even if he were dying when it fell. He won't understand why I want it so much. He'll get that look of confusion, but he won't argue even though he'll want to destroy it and tell himself it never fell, that he never cried. And as long as I wear it, it'll be a reminder to him, to me. How can I want it when I know that?'_

But he knew why, the same reason he refused to wear the necklace Yukina had given him.

_'It's Hiei. I can feel him in it. I couldn't wear her gem because I don't have the right. I care about her, love her even, the way I loved my mother. But it was wrong for me to touch her gem. Hiei can't even touch them, and they're blood. It's too private for me to touch something so personal to her, dirty somehow. This is Hiei and that makes it right. No one else should touch this, not even Zechs. And I think he knew that...'_

Hiei shifted on his arm, drawing Kurama's gaze down and reminding him that his young friend was in serious need of a bath. His wounds were gone, along with most of the blood that had covered his face - sucked back into the wounds during the resurrection? - but some of it was still matted in his dark hair, dried into a brownish paint on his pale skin. Kurama picked at the bit caught in the hair over Hiei's left temple, breaking it apart with a serious frown. He froze when Hiei shifted again, a vague hand waving as if to move him away from that matted spot.

"Are you awake?" Kurama asked quietly, pulling his hand away and lifting Hiei's shoulders so he was in a more seated position.

Hiei sniffed and opened his dark eyes for a second before closing them again so he could give a wide yawn. For a moment Kurama thought he was going to doze off again. Then Hiei looked up at him with a tired frown.

Kurama hadn't thought to wash off the cut on his cheek, so he winced when Hiei reached up to brush his fingertips over the spot. It wasn't that the light touch hurt, just that he didn't want Hiei to worry about something so simple. He opened his mouth just as Hiei curled out of his arm, that frown easing closer to his face.

Hiei turned his face aside, pressing his lips over that cut. Kurama sat wide-eyed at the feel of a warm tongue brushing his cheek. One of Hiei's arms slid over his shoulder, burying itself in his thick hair. And soft feather-light kisses trailed down his cheek.

With one last kiss for the soft pulse at the base of Kurama's jaw, Hiei ducked his face to nuzzle it against that warm neck. His arms tightened around Kurama and he sighed against the redhead's skin, just holding him.

Kurama's arms automatically curved around that slender form, but his expression remained stunned more than anything. "Hiei...?"

"I'll kill anyone who touches you," Hiei growled quietly. "I can't share. I know you're afraid, but I'll never hurt you, no matter what. You're mine alone."

That definitely wasn't what Kurama had expected to hear. He frowned in confusion, even as part of him surged up in a headily possessive wave that wanted to return the sentiment with interest. "What do you mean?"

"The crow," said Hiei, "he wanted you."

His eyes were shadowed when he pulled back, his expression sober and dangerous. "I won't let anyone touch you like that."

Kurama turned deathly pale, his eyes wide and haunted. His voice was a harsh whisper of pain. "It happened again..."

The voice struck him as badly as the look did. Hiei turned his face away and leaned back to put a breath more space between them. He didn't want to lose contact with Kurama, but he knew better than to touch him now, when he had that look.

Kurama had been stricken when he'd found him, traumatized by the attack Hiei hadn't been in time to prevent. He'd killed the men responsible, but the damage had already been done. Hiei had been careful to avoid the subject since then. Even telling of his own experience hadn't helped the redhead. If anything, it had hurt Kurama even more. So Hiei didn't speak of it at all, not because it hurt him, but because he didn't want to upset Kurama by reminding him of what he'd gone through, the source of his fear.

Hiei sniffed quietly, his eyes still locked on a distant spot off to the side. "It wasn't the same. I was much younger back then. This didn't hurt as much as my jagan did, so it didn't matter. It was what he said that..."

He glared suddenly, his hands curling at his sides. "I'll never let him touch you. I'll kill him before he can lay one claw on you, I swear it."

Dangerous red eyes snapped to him, and Kurama did his best not to wince from them. It was Hiei. The mutant had tortured him and abused him and all Hiei cared about were the threats he'd made against Kurama. "Hiei..."

Kurama's eyes burned as he forced himself to return Hiei's stare. The boy had told him coldly what had happened to him as a child, and Kurama had verified it all in the hospital records. But never once had Hiei treated it as anything more than a physical attack. The idea of it being psychological torment was foreign to him. Kurama knew that in Hiei's mind, the attack had been equal to beating him. It was a mark of how cut off Hiei had been as a child, unaware of even the basics of society, the guilt felt by victims.

Kurama didn't want to be the person to teach him that guilt. Hiei had none because he hadn't been taught to have any. The only guilt and self-loathing he'd had was because Yukina had been witness to it. He blamed himself for making her lose her memory, forcing her to kill for his sake, because he'd been too weak to protect her on his own. And that was all it had meant to him. So he couldn't possibly understand why the idea of rape was so painful for Kurama. That made it the only forbidden subject between them - Kurama couldn't breach it without pain showing in his eyes, and Hiei would never say something that could possibly make him cry.

The bright sheen on those wide green eyes faded out, and Hiei gave a quiet sound of relief. He wanted to duck back into Kurama's arms, but he didn't dare. Kurama didn't like to be touched when he thought about that...

"How is Yukina?" Hiei asked, his eyes flitting away.

Kurama winced at a quick bit of guilt. "I don't know. I came down here as soon as we got back. But I'm sure Relena would have come down if anything were wrong."

Hiei gave a dull nod without looking back. Kurama reached out, only to hesitate, his hand hovering over Hiei's shoulder.

Hiei blinked in surprise, sending a wide-eyed look at Kurama, confusion and a hint of vulnerability flashing over his startled face. "What's wrong?"

"Can I touch you...?"

The confusion sharpened for a second, before Hiei wiped it away with a quick frown. "Don't be stupid. Of course you can, if you want to. You're the only one I like touching me."

_'I'm the only one with the right to touch you,'_ Kurama thought. _'Do you feel that, too?'_

That hand eased down, brushing lightly over his shoulder. Hiei sniffed at it, his eyes glinting in a flash of amusement. Then he ducked forward to press close to Kurama's chest.

"Stupid fox," Hiei muttered, lifting his face so he could brush Kurama's neck. "Nothing's changed."

"But it has," whispered Kurama. "You've changed."

"No. I'm the same."

The voice, him..._it_, had promised him that. Hiei frowned against Kurama's neck, pulling the redhead closer to him until warm arms wrapped around him.

"It promised me I would be the same," explained Hiei, "that I wouldn't have to leave, have everything taken away from me - I'd wake up and still be me. That's why I didn't resist when it wanted to take over. It was a respite, so I let go. And it's true, I'm the same. I still...I do..."

"Forbidden words," Kurama whispered, pressing a light kiss on Hiei's hair. "I love you, too, Hiei. Always. I could feel it, you know, your light fading away from me..."

"I don't know what happened," said Hiei. "When he hit my jagan something went wrong inside. It healed, but something was still...wrong. Then there was a band around it, almost suffocating me so I couldn't touch my energy at all. I knew I had to get it off. I could feel Yukina's pain, but I couldn't find you at all and I knew I didn't have time. So when it said I wouldn't die, I gave over to it."

"Did you know what it was planning to do? That it would kill Zechs?"

Hiei jerked away, stark disbelief and almost anger flashing to his eyes. "What are you saying? The last thing I remember is the doors falling away and seeing you. I thought you caught me and...he healed me..."

His eyes widened at the shielded look Kurama was giving him, that _'how do I tell him this'_ look. "You're saying..."

"Are you saying I killed him?" Hiei blurted. "That _it_ killed him? Why? He didn't deserve that - there was no _cause_ for it to...lie to me and-"

"He's not dead now," Kurama said quickly. "He died, you both did, but somehow Zechs brought you back. Your subconscious must have known he had the power to revive you both. It warned him that it would kill him the next time they met. And it did, it went straight to him. I actually..."

_'I knew you were dead the moment you stepped into the sun, Hiei...I just knew...'_

Disbelief and that continued anger tightened Hiei's scowl. Zechs having a power like that? And his own mind, it knew and hadn't told him what it planned to do - it had _killed_ with his body. Even if it knew Zechs had a dormant talent he hadn't seen, it should have told him. No, not told. How could it do that without his permission? Killing a person, killing a friend...

Kurama pulled Hiei back into his arms, his thoughts awash with painful reminders that whatever had happened, Hiei was fine, alive and fine, he'd seen him die and yet they were together again. He'd just have to make sure he stayed that way while he tracked down the man who'd dared to touch him, who'd almost killed him, who had killed him. He didn't really notice how tensely Hiei was curled against him.

_'Just you wait,'_ Hiei thought furiously, knowing that subconscious voice heard every word. _'You might get control of my mind when I'm unconscious, but this body is mine. I'm letting you stay in it - I control your existence. If you know something about my friends, you will tell me about it or I'll make you wish you had. You think I can't? Do you really think so? I know what you hate the most because I hate it myself. But you hate it more. I'll hug Yukina until you crack. I'll do it daily if I have to. And...she'd like that, so you know I could make myself do it if that's what it takes.'_

.-.

It didn't take long for Wufei to realize he was wandering around the school aimlessly. He didn't have anywhere to go where he wouldn't be an extra 'wheel' to his associates. He didn't know where Yusuke had taken off to, and he hadn't seen a hair of Kuwabara or anyone else he knew.

He was tempted to head for the forest and just walk the day away in hopes that his friends would be stirring by the time he got back. But after the attack he didn't think it was a wise idea. The closest he could get was the tree on the lawn, so that was where he headed.

There was a group of teens seated a few feet from the tree, circled on a wide blanket and chatting with eager voices. Wufei hesitated, almost queasy at the idea of sitting within hearing distance of them. They were all girls, and he really didn't want to know what a group of hormonal girls chose to gossip so loudly about.

He was turning away when another girl passed him, waving a newsprint in the air and nearly hitting him upside the head.

"It's a cover-up, it has to be!"

The girl ground to a halt when she caught sight of Wufei, her violet eyes doing a quick and somewhat disturbing sweep over him. One of her friends straightened. Then they were all looking at him.

Wufei's eyes darted over the group as he had a sudden urge to turn tail and run.

"I've seen you," the tallest girl said, her voice confident and just a bit boyish. "You're one of the new ones. You went with Relena-san to that meeting, right? Have you seen the paper?"

Wufei blinked, his face paling abruptly. "I..."

"I'm Lita," the girl said. "And you are?"

About to leave if things worked out right, Wufei's mind blurted. "I really can't stay and-"

"Sit down," the violet-eyed girl smiled. "Talk awhile. We won't bite, really. My name's Rei."

The girl was giving him a vaguely coy smile, her head tilted to the side so her long black hair glinted purple in the sunlight. And Wufei was offguard enough that he didn't pull his hand back in time to keep her from shaking it firmly. He blamed his unease when he also didn't stop her from drawing him over to the group of girls and pressing him to sit on the blanket with them.

"So you've met Lita," said Rei, waving a hand at the tall girl who'd spoken earlier. That one waved a hand at him, grinning cheerfully. She had bright green eyes and long dark brown hair that was held in a high ponytail.

"And these are Minako," waving to the long-haired, blue-eyed blonde, who promptly winked, "Ami," to the girl with short dark blue hair and matching eyes, "and our resident scatterbrain, Usagi," to the other blue-eyed blonde with her incredibly long hair hanging from what appeared to be two balls on the top of her head, who scowled and stuck her tongue out at Rei.

"And now you know all of our names," Rei finished, smiling cheekily, "I think it's safe to tell us yours before we interrogate you."

Wufei raised an eyebrow at 'interrogate' and reluctantly gave his name.

"So," said Lita, "have you seen the paper? There was an incident at an OZ base yesterday, a few hours after that meeting you and Relena went to. Some are saying there's a connection between what happened here during that meeting, and what happened at the base. Heard anything about that, Wufei?"

A somewhat wry smirk came to Wufei's face, and he leaned back. "No."

The girl didn't seem to believe him at all, if her raised eyebrow said anything. She gave him an almost threatening look, leaning a bit closer to him. "Really. Then I guess you don't know they're saying an electrical shortage caused the explosions here. I've never heard such a stupid story in my entire life."

Minako nodded firmly, though she tossed another flirting look at Wufei. "It has to be a cover up."

"But it's not a very good one," Ami said softly, "Not when they're saying electrical failure is what caused the blaze at that base as well. After all, if you're going to claim two incidents are unrelated, you don't give them the same cause."

The strange-haired blonde gave a confused frown and spoke up in a voice much louder than necessary. "It has to be true! It's in the paper."

Sighs sounded from her friends, a few rolling their eyes. Rei snorted aloud, making Wufei glance at her.

"That's Usagi," Rei scoffed. "That's what happens when you don't read anything but tabloids."

Usagi bristled, her expression the sort that proceeds a very messy catfight. "I do so read other stuff! I read manga all the time."

Rei smirked, giving Wufei an _'see what I mean'_ look.

"Besides the pathetic excuse," Lita broke in, staring hard at Wufei, "there's nothing in the report about the window on the second floor. Half a dozen students saw someone dark jump through that window right after the first explosion. Why isn't that in here?"

She waved her newsprint in Wufei's face, making him jerk his head back to keep from being hit. "It has to be a cover up."

"Only, why would they?" asked Minako. "Why would they want to cover it up? Since when does OZ care about making mutants look bad?"

"True enough," said Lita "Any other time and the headlines would be plastered with horror stories about the evil killer mutant. But this time, this time they're claiming it's electrical failure? That's just stupid."

Wufei noticed the blue-haired girl was watching him with a somewhat worrisome interest. She raised her head when he glanced over at her.

"I have a theory," Ami said slowly, her eyes glued to Wufei's wary gaze. "Right before the attack, someone called from that meeting Relena-san went to, someone very worried. Then there was the attack, and a few hours later - about the time it would take to go from the Sanq Kingdom to that base - there was another attack.

"I'd say whoever attacked the school was after something. Mutants don't attack each other. But if he were sent by someone, that person would have a very good reason to hide it. And that base, the amount of ash found on the scene is incongruous with a fire, no matter how the fire supposedly started. No normal blaze would be hot enough to turn metal into ash like that.

"Normally OZ is the first to complain about attacks on their bases. If they hid an attack, then it's because they don't want the public to know what _led_ to that attack. Such as an attack of their own."

Wufei stared at the girl, his expression absolutely blank. Ami frowned lightly at him, a thoughtful look crossing her face.

"Isn't it interesting," Ami murmured, "that four people went with Relena-san to that meeting, but those four weren't seen again after she got back? And when those four did return, they came in a group of twelve, including three strangers to the school. It's quite interesting. Unusual numbers tend to gain attention, and numbers like that are highly unusual."

Wufei was disgruntled, to say the least, but he managed a light frown at the girls who were watching him avidly. Usagi was looking at her friends with a clueless expression, so he passed over her. He shrugged and looked back to Ami.

"I don't know what you're getting at," said Wufei. "One of my friends got sick at the meeting and we had to delay our return. As for the new students, this school picks up new students every day. Since when are new mutants not welcome here?"

Ami smiled, though that knowing look remained on her face. "Every mutant is welcome here. I hope your friends - that is, your _friend_ - gets better soon."

Lita frowned at Ami, not sure why she was playing along. But she didn't press the subject. Wufei gave an off-handed remark that he was sorry he couldn't help them with their little mystery. Then he beat the hasty retreat he'd wanted to make earlier.

He couldn't help but feel angry and worried about the gossip that was obviously spreading through the school. It had only been a day or so. The students had far too much time on their hands. And it seemed some of them weren't as oblivious as Yusuke had claimed.

.-.

Une was in her room, formerly Duo's room, when Quatre and Trowa remembered her existence.

She'd woken not long after the group had left the school. Since she wasn't being controlled, her first thoughts had been to escape. But Yukina and Kuwabara had met her when she left the room Quatre had sent her to. Whatever she was, mutant, OZ spy, she'd been compelled to take care of her new and only friend.

She'd comforted Yukina until Kuwabara escorted the girl to her own room to rest. And since she didn't want to abandon Yukina if she wanted someone to talk to aside from that loud teenage boy, Une had returned to the only safe place she knew of. She'd gone back to her bedroom to wait.

So she was there, seated on her bed, waiting, when Quatre entered the room. She sent both boys a reproachful, if uneasy, glare.

"Is something wrong?" Quatre ventured, not really expecting a response.

He didn't get one, either. Une glared darker at him, and turned her face to the side, arms folded over her chest.

Trowa moved to sit on the desk, and Quatre settled himself in the chair for a bit of probing. He'd been surprised to find that Une was not only in the school, but back in the room they'd kept her in. There really wasn't an excuse for the way he'd taken off without so much as waking her up. But her behavior - staying, and staying out of trouble - made him curious to learn why.

A little bit of mindreading answered his questions, filling him with surprise.

She'd been furious at them, the two of them and their friends, when she found Yukina broken and alone - the loud boy, Kuwabara, hadn't counted in Une's mind. She'd blamed them for involving an innocent girl like Yukina in their rebellious actions. But Yukina had explained about the strange mutant who'd come and taken her brother, who hadn't done anything but his best to protect her and watch over her. The sight of Yukina's torn, tearful visage had left Une staggered. She'd been feeling morose and somewhat guilty since then, though she still wanted to blame them.

Quatre understood most of that, but he was quickly caught on Une's reaction to the rogue. She'd recognized the description Yukina gave. He focused on gaining as much information as Une knew about the man.

He was a strange one, in Une's estimation, a crow feeding on refuge, so fitting with his name, Karasu. Treize had used him only for killings and retrievals of very dangerous mutants, or other equally important assignments. He'd been so twisted that Une was openly disgusted by him, having seen the sort of things he did to the mutants he caught. They might have been enemies of OZ, but that was no excuse. Killing them to protect the innocents, there was a reason for that. Torturing them because he got off on their screams...sickening.

It was the only point where she'd openly opposed Treize, and Quatre was surprised to find that Treize had never pushed her. Quatre suspected he had tried, and that Une simply didn't remember the brainwashing attempt. Whatever Treize had done with his mind twisting, he hadn't been able to change her basic ethics.

Une was sickened by those who abused their powers, and since she'd been witness to Karasu's torture of multiple mutants, she knew he was abusing it to the utmost. She despised him. And now, knowing the one member of OZ she hated most had come into the school and hurt an innocent like Yukina - on Treize's orders... It put her in a very difficult position. She couldn't reconcile that. She now had a festering dislike of Treize that warred with her absolute obedience and worship of him.

Quatre focused sharply on that. Any opposition to Treize in Une's mind was something they could use, something to encourage. And it wasn't just Karasu. Another image swam to focus when he pushed for any hard feelings toward Trieze.

It was Zechs, the scene slanted because Une had been in Relena's form at the time, looking up at him. Quatre could almost feel the smile she'd forced on her face, and the way her stomach had clenched at having to hold up that mask. Treize had used her to get to Zechs. And she'd opposed him on that as well...to no avail.

Quatre wasn't reading detailed memories so much as snippets - about the same he'd gotten during his scans in the forest a few days back. He'd promised Trowa he wouldn't push himself any more than that. It was enough to catch sight of the harsh, angry feelings and remembrances that had floated up to cloud Une's unhappy thoughts.

In the picture Zechs was staring down at her with a pale, dead expression in a dark room. The thought connected to the scene was a harsh whisper against Treize. _He's no different from his pet when it comes to that._

A different scene shifted into focus, doubled like two snapshots lain one over the other. The top was Une, watching helplessly as Yukina sobbed with tearless eyes against Kuwabara. And it slid aside to the second, Une glaring down at a dark screen, a dim cell lit by the open doorway where Treize leaned casually with a knowing smile, his eyes staring straight up at the camera as if he knew she were watching. The words scribbled on the back of the scenes in hectic, jagged letters, was _devastation_.

Another pair of images replaced those, these tainted as if they'd been crumpled in a desperate attempt to destroy them.

The first was a very familiar form, Karasu, the rogue, masked and seated at a table with two other men in OZ uniforms, one laughing and the other wearing a wide smile, all seen through wide, stunned eyes from where Une stood across the room from them. And the second, Zechs as seen from behind, seated in a chair with his hands curled white-knuckled on the arms, and Treize leaning over him and the computer, pointing to a part of the screen where a tiny burned body was half curled near an overturned church pew. Or rather, he was pointing to the door behind the body, as if the body was no more visible than the others that spotted the charred image. And the picture trembled, blurring at times, from where Une watched yards from them, her eyes only half focused. The title given to the images was a whispery, _disbelief_, with a barely visible etch of _how can he_.

.-.

Heero had passed out the moment the plane took off, leaving a worried Duo watching him sleep while Hilde kept him silent company. It wasn't until they'd laid Heero out on the bed that Duo really noticed how different the boy looked.

He'd only been gone for a few days, but he looked thin and pale and...weak somehow. There were rashes on his cheeks, high on the cheekbones and temples. Duo remembered that he hadn't been able to make a lasting 'brand' on Heero's quick-healing skin, so he knew they weren't burn marks, as they appeared to be. And when he touched Heero, the boy's skin felt hot, as if he had a fever.

By the time they reached the Sanq Kingdom, Heero was grimacing lightly with each labored breath. It made Duo wonder if Heero weren't suffering from the same sort of burnout that he'd had.

Quatre warned him that Yukina had overextended her own powers, so there wasn't anything they could do to help Heero with whatever was bothering him. They'd have to wait until Zechs woke up and hope he'd be able to learn something about the boy's condition.

That left Duo rather helpless to do anything but wait, and he wasn't the least bit happy about it. He and Hilde moved Heero up to his room and brainstormed as Duo did his best to pick the locking mechanism on Hilde's shackles.

"It looks a lot like a fever," Hilde was saying. "His temperature is definitely too high. We could try cooling him with damp cloths."

"Might as well try it," Duo muttered, "I'm not getting anywhere with these things. I'm not even sure this hole _is_ a lock..."

A quick check found more of those patches, red and heated like a rash. They were spread out all over the place, but mostly on Heero's joints. His hands and face were the worst, radiating the most heat. But his ribs were almost entirely red and inflamed.

"That's why it hurts him to breathe," Duo whispered.

"It could be something in his blood," said Hilde, "since there's less muscle and tissue separating the veins from the skin in his hands and along his temples."

"That does make sense. It might explain why his ribs are so red, being around his heart and all."

If he hadn't been so reluctant to leave Hilde alone, Duo would have taken Heero into the bathroom and simply soaked the boy in cool water. The cloths they were using heated so quickly he didn't think they were doing any good.

"I just don't understand," said Duo. "How could he have been like this earlier? He broke in and took out those soldiers like it was nothing. And he was so calm and strong up until we reached the plane. I didn't notice a thing.

"He railed at me, you know, for using my talents and being stubborn. Now look at him. He should have taken his own advice. He even had the nerve to support me on the way to the plane - me, when he had to have been ready to drop himself!"

Duo lowered his gaze, that flash of anger fading away as quickly as it had come. He knew Hilde was watching him. He shot her a weak smile that didn't reach his eyes. "It is a little funny, I guess. He overextended his powers after lecturing me about the exact same thing."

"What powers does he have?" asked Hilde. "What did he do to those guards? He cut them, but he doesn't have any weapons on him."

"That is strange," Duo admitted. "Heero has super speed and instant healing, but he doesn't have any offensive powers aside from his own strength."

Hilde sent one long look at the pale boy sleeping restlessly on the bed, and she raised an eyebrow at Duo. "Instant healing? If he has that, why isn't his body fighting back against the fever."

They watched Heero for a while, changing those cool cloths though they didn't seem to be making a difference. It wasn't until Hilde suggested the tub that Duo spoke up, startled that she'd had the same idea he had.

"I don't know if we should be cooling him or not," Duo muttered. "What if he is healing himself and we're countering that? I mean, Zechs - that white-haired guy you saw - he has a healing talent that burns when he uses it on you. Maybe Heero's is like that, too."

"Then the fever could be a result of him instinctively healing himself," said Hilde. "When an injury heals, it burns and itches because the tissue is fixing itself. Only, he doesn't look like he _has_ any injuries."

Duo shook his head, his expression darkening the more he thought about it. "Maybe it's continual healing, so it just keeps burning up inside. And that's why he passed out - he's automatically healing himself and it's sapping up all of his energy..."

"What sort of injury would require constant healing?" asked Hilde. "And how long would it last? If he's already in a coma from using his talent, he can't keep it up for very long."

"I know," Duo said darkly. "If he can't heal whatever is hurting him, he'll instinctively keep trying until his energy burns out altogether."

He pushed off the edge of the bed and gave Hilde a quick look. "Stay with him? I'm going to see if Zechs is awake, or Yukina, or even Hiei."

.-.

Jin tugged at the collar of his shirt and shot a curious look over the cafeteria. Even with the uniform, he was still getting stares and starting whispers among the students. But he supposed it would have been much worse if he were still dressed in his 'non-dress.'

Yusuke had given them both extra uniforms when they arrived, claiming that he and Kuwabara never wore them anyway, so it was no great loss. The uniforms didn't exactly fit, Jin's was a little too tight on the shoulders, though the length was good, and Touya, well, he'd filled out in the last year but he was still a little too petite to share clothing with Yusuke. So even with the proper uniforms, they stood out.

Touya took it as a given and simply stared back at the bolder students, making more than one of them flush and look away. Months had passed since he'd been surrounded by so many people, especially mutants close to his own age. The only thing that kept him in the middle of the somewhat crowded cafeteria was that he didn't want to be closed in.

"I've become claustrophobic," Touya muttered.

Jin rounded with wide eyes, a hopeful look spread over his face. "Does that mean I can fly us when we go back home? It would be really open, nothing but wind and sky all around, and we could snuggle the whole way. I always wanted to try that, come to think of it..."

"No," Touya blurted, his expression as close to reproachful as he could get when it came to Jin. "I'm not _that_ claustrophobic. Besides, you shouldn't be flying at all for a while. You don't look well."

"Me? You're smaller than ever and your eyes are way too big for your pretty little face and you think I don't look well? I bet I could push you right over with a fingertip, not that I'd do it, of course, but you know what I mean. Don't you worry about me, Touya, I'll have you bright and glowing in no time!"

The last bit was accompanied by a warm smile and a heavy arm over his shoulders. Touya sighed at the looks a few of the students were sending them, and he firmly pushed his irritation aside. What did it really matter to him if they had a problem with Jin's tactile nature?

"I told you I'm fine," said Touya. "Mostly they had me experimenting with my talent, nothing I wasn't doing on my own. It has me worn, nothing more. As for my eyes being big...it's the light."

"Light? But your eyes are supposed to get smaller in bright light! Why would-"

Touya ducked his head a bit, shooting an almost embarrassed look at the redhead. "You were the first to notice my eyes glow in the dark. I've been using that for a long time, so it's hard to turn it off. It doesn't hurt."

With a bright, curious smile, Jin leaned down, his hand moving to shadow Touya's pale blue eyes. Sure enough, he could see the pale glow against his palm, a shadow of blue over the pupils that wasn't really noticeable in the bright room. Jin grinned, his face awash with appreciation.

"It's like you're laughing inside," Jin breathed. "Beautiful..."

Heat flushed over Touya's face, and he leaned away before Jin could do anything that was better saved for a more private location. He knew when his friend switched from a playful _'pretty' _to beautiful, that he wasn't just admiring the scenery. And this really wasn't the place.

"You look tired," said Touya. "Have you been sleeping, or flying till you crash and then napping wherever you land?"

Jin let out a quick laugh and pulled back so they were just sitting next to each other at the table. "You _do_ know me! It's really neat how little sleep I need. I mean, I can almost sleep in the air now, as long as I'm using a twister - it fades on its own after a while, so it sort of lays me down when it's done. That's much better than dozing off and falling. Can't say I like the falling much. I almost broke my horn last time! Wow did that hurt...I think I landed on my head. Dug a nice little groove in the ground, too. I saw it when I woke up."

"You were in that much of a hurry, and you didn't think I was alive? Why were you rushing?"

A flitter of discomfort tightened Jin's brow, but he shook it off as well as he could. He really didn't want to ruin their reunion by thinking about _that_.

"It was Shikamaru," Jin admitted. "I was a little, more like a lot, restless after you left. Only took me a week to heal, you know, since I'm so resilient and all. Not like Sasuke. Iruka-sensei made him stay in bed so long he swore he was going to strangle Naruto if he had to eat one more bowl of ramen. I don't blame him, either, that gets really old after a while. But anyway, I was up and about pretty quick. And you know me, I wanted to run off after you. Didn't know where to go, though. So I bugged Shikamaru till he gave me a map of places he thought that rodent would have gone to. I lost the map a few weeks ago, but I remembered it. I have a really good memory, you know, things I see or touch. Shika put pretty little stars over the bases, so it was easy to remember and since I was looking down from above, I could watch for the landmarks and all."

"But why the rush," Touya prodded lightly. "If you thought I was dead, why were you pushing yourself?"

"It was something to do, Touya... I wanted to hurt him, and as long as I was chasing after him, I was doing something about it. You know I'm not one to stand around, or float since we're talking about me. I didn't like taking breaks because, well, it got really quiet, you know...?"

There was hesitance, unhappiness, and a faint discomfort in Jin's bright blue eyes. Touya reached over to brush his fingertips along the back of Jin's hand, his palm settling warmly on the crook of the teen's arm. "You don't like the quiet, I know. I missed you, too, Jin."

That arm shot out around his shoulders again, and Touya gave a grimacing smile as his hair was rumpled playfully. He really didn't like public displays of affection, but Jin's happiness was infectious, addicting. "Jin..."

"You're just so sweet," Jin beamed, "I love it when you get all sweet on me."

He hopped up while Touya went to work smoothing his hair down again. "Still stuffy, though! It's cute all messy like that. But I know you like it neat, so you go ahead and I'll get to work fattening you up again. I sure hope it doesn't take weeks like last time. Never did care for the pecky eaters, you're small, but you're not a bird."

"I'm not really hungry," Touya started, but he closed his mouth a moment later. Jin was already halfway across the room, bound to bring back his idea of a proper meal. He almost winced at the thought.

It wasn't as if he'd wasted away during his captivity. They'd kept his energy worn from continual use, but they hadn't chained him after the first few days. He'd had more than enough time to keep active in his cell. The fire user was the first and only...roommate, he'd had. It seemed ice users were few and far between, and OZ hadn't been in any hurry to kill him off.

He knew better than to try and explain that to Jin, though. He'd lost a few pounds and knowing Jin, he wouldn't rest until he got them back with interest. Touya sighed at the thought and slumped a bit over the table, his gaze shifting around the student-populated cafeteria.

It was much larger than the one they'd had at the little high school in Switzerland. And while there was obviously a uniform dress code, a good number of the students were dressed strangely, or casually.

Touya's gaze paused on a group of the more strangely dressed teens, a green-haired boy flashing him a quick smile before turning back to the girls he was talking to. He looked past them, his gaze drawn to a somewhat empty table where a single couple sat. The tall boy stood and moved to the get rid of his tray, and Touya found his eyes locking with a very small girl. She looked frail and tired, very pale, but her eyes widened when she noticed his gaze.

A tray was set down in front of him. Touya flinched, blinking quickly for a second before glancing at Jin.

"Who were you looking at?" asked Jin. "Someone interesting?"

"I'm not sure," Touya murmured. "It was a girl. For some reason it felt like-"

"Stop right there! Since when do you look at girls, To-ya? You didn't go and, that is, you didn't stop liking me, did you?"

Jin let out a little worried sound, and Touya grimaced with a light flush. He could always tell when Jin was trying to get a rise out of him, by the way he said his name.

"I was just looking at her," Touya said weakly. "I think she might be that boy's sister...something about her eyes. I could almost feel a connection. I've never met another ice user, but it felt like I knew her. She's right-"

He'd turned to point the girl out only to find the table empty. The tall boy she'd been sitting with was gone as well. Touya sent a quick look over the room, but she must have left while he was distracted.

"That's neat," Jin was saying, his smile back in full force. "I'd love to meet a wind user. We could have races!"

"Races," Touya echoed.

"Maybe later. Eat up now, they had lots to choose from. I even got you tea just the way you like it, hot and flavorless! It is a little brown, though..."

Touya smirked as he lifted the cup and took a breath of the steam. "It's coffee, Jin, not tea. But it's fine, thank you."

"Okay, but eat something first? This looks sweet. And it is! Try it, tastes just like, well, I don't really know, but it's good."

"I'll eat," promised Touya. "Just slowly. I've been living on concentrated rations once a day. I'll have to ease into regular meals again. Like before."

Jin sighed and wilted a little. So far he wasn't making much headway with his newly found friend. Touya didn't want to eat, or cuddle, or play, and he was too tired to do exercises with his talent - another form of play, really. And so far he hadn't managed to get a single laugh out of him.

"I think I've lost my touch," Jin sniffled. "I'm _boring_ you!"

Touya smirked, nibbling a bit on the pastry Jin had conned into his hand. "You couldn't be boring if you tried."

"Now you're just being nice," said Jin. "I've gone all rusty, months since the last time I teased anyone, so I'm out of practice. I wish Naruto were here, I work much better with an audience. I'd knock you right out of that '_I'm fine, I'm calm, you're not going to get more than a little smile out of me so you might as well give up right now'_ thing you're doing. How come I lose my touch and you're still as good as ever at the stoicism? You're way too steady, To-ya. You know that, right?"

Touya raised an eyebrow and Jin let out a frustrated little fidget. "See! I called you To-ya and you didn't even correct me. You must be in a real slump, or I'm in the slump. Maybe we're both in it and we're so slumped we just don't know it. You think that's it, To-ya? Ne, To-ya? What do you think, To-ya? To-ya...? Oi! You still with me?"

The blue-haired boy was calmly drinking his coffee, eyes closed and expression completely neutral. Jin pouted and stole the remainder of that pastry since Touya obviously wasn't going to finish it. He inhaled the food, his mind running around to find another tactic to get a response from his friend.

A familiar face caught his eyes from across the room, and Jin grinned suddenly. He elbowed Touya's side to make the boy look at him. "Hey, Touya, you think he's cute?"

Touya blinked wide eyes at Jin and wondered briefly if he'd missed something in that happily playful chatter. "What?"

"Yusuke," said Jin, nodding to the boy who was currently scanning the room from across the way. "Do you think he's cute?"

A faint blush crept to Touya's face, and he turned a wary look on his friend. "I don't even know him."

"I know that," Jin smiled, waving a hand in dismissal, "you didn't get a chance to really talk to him. That's not what I asked. I think he's cute. Do you?"

Touya just stared at him with that startled, wary expression. Jin grinned and stood up so he could wave the boy over. After another quick scan of the cafeteria, Yusuke crossed to them and stopped on the other side of their table.

"Hey, guys," said Yusuke. "I didn't think I'd find you down here. You didn't happen to see a really big idiot around here, did you? Tall, orange hair, dumb face, latched onto a really dainty girl with pale blue hair?"

With one more suspicious look at Jin's wide grin, Touya turned to look at Yusuke. "I think I saw him earlier. Does the girl have red eyes?"

"That's the one," Yusuke nodded. "I heard they were up and about, and knowing Kuwabara's stomach, this is the first place he'd go. Figures I'd miss them."

He plunked down at the table, his gaze shifting from the tray full of untouched food and Touya's odd expression, over to Jin's mischievous smile. "So...you guys planning to run off right away? If you aren't, you can probably see Relena tomorrow to get uniforms that actually fit. Or you can make a quick trip down the hill. There are quite a few shops within walking distance. That's about all we have here, the school, stores, and the woods."

"Woods?" Jin asked, his ears perking up. "Is it far?"

"A few minutes' walk," Yusuke shrugged. "Want directions?"

Jin stared for a moment before winking at the boy, his grin widening even more. "More like a guide. What do you say, Yusuke? You don't look very busy, so you want to go for a walk outside? I don't really like this sitting around stuff, and poor Touya is getting awfully pasty. You'd think he was a pretty little ghost! I have to drag him out regularly, put some color on his cheeks, you know?"

This earned him an embarrassed bristle from Touya, and a slow smirk from Yusuke. Jin gave his best puppy face, wide blue eyes, pouting lips, and twitching ears. Touya slumped, pushing his tray back so he could thump his forehead lightly on the table. And Yusuke laughed.

"Sure," Yusuke grinned, "happy to help. Like I said, there isn't much else to do around here. I'll take you by the arcade on the way. It's pretty popular, but there's usually a few games open."

"Great!" Jin chirped, his pout replaced by a brilliant smile. "Come on, Touya."

Touya turned his head, a warning glare snapping up to fizzle out against Jin's vibrant enthusiasm. The boy was completely invulnerable to glares, but Touya already knew that. He didn't know exactly what Jin had in mind by asking Yusuke to show them around, and part of him really wasn't sure he wanted to know. Jin loved surprising him, and embarrassing him, and teasing him, and...

A resigned sigh broke the silence, and Jin's smile widened to epic proportions. He flashed Yusuke a quick victory sign and set about conning Touya out of his boneless slump.

_- - -  
TBC_


End file.
